A Purpose for the Gift of Life
by ohgodwhatamireading
Summary: Having faced her fears and now prepared to face the world, Nia strives to create a place to share her healing with all who may need it. She does so in hopes of carving out a purpose in her own life, but that will involve careful consideration of her sister's legacy, whose flesh she now carries, and a reexamination of her relationship with the people she still loves.
1. Prologue: The Promise of a New Dawn

Tranquil

That's one of the first words that most Gormotti would use to describe their home Titan of Gormott. Its fields remained remarkably lush and lively even as the other Titans of Alrest decayed and died around it. Six in the morning in the town of Torigoth was normally the ideal time and place for some rest and relaxation, especially in the months following the defeat of Torna, fall of the World Tree, and descent to the mysterious yet calm surface of the planet, but within one newly constructed building near the center of the community, there was no rest to be had for the driver and blade combo that were bustling to complete their current chores before the dawn officially arrived at seven.

"Just move that chair over here!" Nia barked at Dromarch, "What's most important for now is making sure our guests and patients have a place to sit. We can worry about ourselves after that."

"I'm just trying to make sure that we don't block the windows by mistake. Sunlight is an important thing for those in crisis to be able to see," the white tiger blade suggested.

They had made admirable progress with only a few more things still needing to be cleaned or moved around. With Torna defeated and the people of Alrest saved. Nia and her friends had to begin forging the paths that would carry them through the rest of their lives. Morag and Zeke had returned to their old nations of Tantal and Mor Ardain to assist their people in adapting to life on the newly discovered surface. Tora returned to his hom in Torigoth as well while Rex, Pyra and Mythra became some of the very first people to settle on the freshly restored continent that had long been concealed beneath the Cloud Sea. Nia and Dromarch had a more difficult choice to make with no place to truly call home but agreed to return to the titan where they had been born and raised. After taking some time to reflect on her life, where she had been, and where she was now, Nia got an idea. Sharing this idea with her friends got her the blessings and support of all of her old allies. It was an idea that was going to take a bit of time and work, but now what had started as a new house for the duo on the Gormotti titan was nearly all ready to function as their new place of business as well.

"And thus, the room finally comes together," Nia hung up the photograph of her with all the friends she had made along the way as the finishing touch to the furnishing of her new place of residence.

It was the perfect way to cap off a project that had been several months in the making which would have been nigh impossible without the people in that photograph. Each and every person in their group had been vital in helping her find her way in life not just up to but after the fight with Malos. Morag proved to be remarkably efficient in securing a plot of land in Torigoth through her political connections in Mor Ardain, Zeke was overwhelmingly generous providing money and materials, Construction was more than easy enough with Tora and Poppi around, Dromarch was as faithful as ever in volunteering to work as her assistant, Rex and Azurda did more than their fair share of walking and flying around to help with spreading the word and distributing fliers, and it was the encouragement of Pyra and Mythra that pushed her over the fence in deciding to put this entire thing together.

"That sounds like a phenomenal idea!" Nia recalled Mythra saying to her "You should absolutely go for it. We're more than willing to help if you need it."

"Businesses independently owned and operated by blades aren't exactly something you normally see," the Gormotti blade expressed the doubts she still had.

"But that's because there are virtually no other blades in the world quite like you," the Aegis reminded her, "You said you didn't want to live in hiding and I can't think of a better way to put your unique traits and skills out there."

"But who knows how the people will handle it? Just because Indol's gone doesn't mean people are going to suddenly be fine with the concept of blades eating humans."

"But wouldn't you rather they gain their understanding of Flesh Eaters from meeting you rather than from rumors and stigma?" Pyra asked.

Pondering this question gave Nia the final resolve she needed to choose to give her ambitions a chance with a vow shared between them to help in whatever way they may be needed. In the present, with construction of her new house finally completed, a look around the place reminded Nia that there really is no place for a person to belong quite like one's own home. With construction now completed in the present, the final arrangement was fairly simple but effective. On top of a kitchen and a bedroom upstairs for her and Dromarch, certainly useful for when she might face some kind of all-night job, her downstairs office had a bed for patients to sleep on, basic medical supplies, and decorations such as a potted plant in the corner to help any potential visitors feel more at ease. No longer a mere dream or lofty aspiration, Nia's Miraculous Medical Offices was finally set to open its doors to the public. A passing glance at the mirror hanging on the wall of the living room reminded her of the one thing that was still was left to be done. Dromarch sensed her intentions as well and still had some concerns.

"My lady..." he tried to speak as he noticed her hanging her head slightly as she released a long held in sigh.

"I'm fine," she reassured him, "I knew that I would have to do this when I started this project. I did it in hope and anticipation of getting to this point. Don't worry about me."

Nia paused for an intense look at her reflection before proceeding any further. Her right hand slowly made its way up her track suit and stopped to over where her core crystal glowed within her chest as she went over the list. Briefly peeking inside her clothing, Nia made special note of the splotches of red that marred what was once a diamond of pure blue. That was back in a time where she had given her all to try and cure her sister's illness but could only watch as she passed away peacefully but hopelessly. The order she received shortly afterwards from the man she viewed as a father was one that she never could have imagined. Consuming the flesh of her sister to carry on her memory was an act that would be forever imprinted on both her mind and body. She shuddered at the recollection of the act that almost felt like a sin against nature itself. It certainly wasn't without its consequences, leaving her as an outcast to both society and her own self for many years afterwards. Not until she met the young salvager from Leftheria did any sense of purpose and belonging in the world manage to find its way back into her life. This didn't come without its own set of difficulties and heartbreaks. The boy who had saved her had even managed to win her heart, but his own affections ultimately belonged to another, and she had to come to terms with her inability to change that. All she could do was remain grateful at finally having a group of people that would accept her for who she was and be there for her no matter what. Now was the time for her to do some good with that newfound peace.

"Well, here I go..." Nia momentarily relaxed herself and channeled her energy to allow her true nature to come to the surface.

Nia's bodysuit vanished in favor of much more revealing garbs reminiscent of a shrine maiden. Her catlike ears and hair lengthened with ether spots appearing all over her clothes and skin. This was the form that symbolized both all of the mistakes in her life and all the good she now sought to do, and she was prepared to let the whole world know it.

"My lady... Are you sure this is necessary?" Dromarch wanted to be sure she had thought this through.

"Yes, it is," Nia nodded, "How long do you think I could run this place effectively while keeping my true self and abilities a secret? Am I supposed to give people more shite about first aid, bed rest, and plenty of juice? We're doing this because I swore that I was done with nonsense like that. I want people to know just what kind of power it is that's curing all of their illnesses and injuries. I want to be able to put my true self out there not just for my sake, but for anyone else out there like me."

Those like her. The ones she spoke of were the flesh eaters, the supposedly cursed blades who had bonded with human cells. In addition to being granted the burden of mortality, they had long since been the victims of a societal stigma that didn't know what to make of the permanent union between blade and human. She and several others had faced persecution and imprisonment as a result, but, with the Indoline Praetorium now a thing of the past, Nia was hoping to make a fresh start. With her tainted core crystal now out on full display, Nia was staring as intently at her reflection as ever. Her focus was on what most knew to be her face, but what she knew to truly be the face she took on of her dearly departed sister, having taken on her appearance more closely as a byproduct of their union. It was a face that brought her great comfort when she gazed upon it but also invoked a sense of deep regret. This was a lasting memento of the girl who was the first of many close to her that she failed save for one reason or another. Tears began to well up in her eyes not just from thinking of all the hardships she had endured because of who she was, but all that she was now capable of as a result. For all of the burdens that came alongside her transformation, it was also accompanied by the birth of an astonishing power. Healing blades were not all that rare, and she had started as a pretty talented one herself, but the fusion of her body with that of her Gormotti sister gave rise to something out of an entirely different realm. What started out as the ability to aid with cell regeneration evolved into the ability to manipulate human and blade biology at will. Even the most debilitating diseases imaginable could be beaten back by her with but a thought and a wave of the hand. Her capabilities to restore life ascended to a level where she was able to briefly get the upper hand against the destructive powers of the Aegis itself. "There is no wound you can inflict that I cannot heal!" was her bold declaration in that battle, and Nia intended to adapt it into the credo that ran this new clinic of hers. Even so, she couldn't help but remember that she only gained this strength as a result of her failure to save her sister, but her spine stiffened, and a tender smile came to her face when she also realized that this power was also the legacy of that beloved sister. This power was the final gift that she had bequeathed unto her. It was all that was now left of her in this world, and she was going to make it a gift admired and appreciated around the globe. Nia wiped away the final few tears, now fully ready and resolved to make her mark on the world as the most powerful healing blade on the planet.

"Well, Dromarch? Shall we begin the wait for our first patient?" she optimistically fished out the key for the front door to the building from the dresser in the room.

"As you wish, my lady," the white tiger retained some reservations but remained fully supportive of her endeavors.

With a few clicks of the lock, Nia stepped out the door to plant herself outside of the building in eager anticipation of the first person in need of her services. It coincided all too well with the first light of the sun peeking over the horizon. Nia had always loved the promise of a new day dawning, but this particular sunrise signaled the dawn of a whole new era in her life. The miracle hospital she had dreamed of for so many months was officially open for business.


	2. Act One: A Day on the Town

"Well, this is certainly turning out to be a bit dull," Nia's ears flattened as she rested her chin in her hands, having gone from standing triumphantly to sitting on a crate that happened to be lying nearby, "I guess doctors aren't in as high demand these days with the constant wars from before having died down."

Roughly six hours had gone by without a single customer for Nia and Dromarch, and the boredom had her almost ready to start pulling her hair out. The only thing that kept her composed was her understanding of the importance of a solid first impression and professional image. Thus, she somehow forced herself to endure even if she was now starting to wonder if she should have chosen a field of work with a little more action to it. In doing so though, she was able to get a grasp on the deeper significance that this time was of to her. For the first time in longer than she could remember, she was out in public as a blade and making no effort to hide herself as such. A tiny part of her did still fear the appearance of a soldier with a warrant for her arrest, but she knew she had to fight through it. Her elongated ears granted her the hearing sensitivity to pick up on conversations in the passing crowds. With some anxiousness, she had been waiting for the first one to come talking about driving the Flesh Eater out of Torigoth, but, as more and more time passed without her picking up on any of those sorts of hostile intentions for her, she was able to grow to be truly at ease and enjoy the serene morning for what it was. Meanwhile, Dromarch had fallen asleep besides her beneath the soothing spring air. As thanks for all he usually does for her, Nia began to tenderly stroke his fur as she always did in these sorts of tranquil moments. She found herself letting out a yawn of her own as a side effect of getting up earlier than even she would have normally preferred, but her ears perked up when the chatter of strangers gave way to a voice that she was very familiar with.

"Friend Nia spotted, Masterpon!" Poppi announced in her typically robotic dialect.

The childlike robot emerged from the faceless crowd and scurried over to Nia with her pudgy Nopon engineer lagging shortly behind. With how much Rex had changed in their journey together and how much more responsibility Morag and Zeke had taken up in their homelands, it was comforting to see these to stay relatively the same as she had remembered. They remained in the same home as before, continuing much of the same shenanigans.

"Hold on, Poppi!" Tora caught up with little breath to spare, "Masterpon still relies on actual lungs and muscles to move!"

"But Nia is soon to become world famous doctor. Will be impossible for her to make free time for Poppi before long," the artificial blade rationalized her zealousness.

"Oh, don't be silly, Poppi. I would always find a way to make time for you," Nia smiled at her common penchant for exaggeration.

"But Nia doesn't even have any patients at all," Tora noted her current failure, "Tremendous waste of all the time and work Tora and Poppi did building her office."

"Excuse me, but I don't remember you doing any work," Nia glared at him, "You just bossed Poppi around on where to put things."

"That only shows how little Nia knows," the Nopon gloated, "Architecture of building is highly sophisticated. Construction is very precise. Only a master engineer like Tora could have planned something like this."

"If you really say so..." she rolled her eyes, "Still, I can't deny that business is starting out a bit slow."

"Of course it is like that. Nia needs to put on more of a show to get peoples' attention. May Tora suggest trying a cute nurse's outfit and some sort of dance?" he suggested.

"You've got to be kidding. I'm running a legitimate operation here. I'm not just role-playing as a nurse for entertainment. I really want to put myself out there and help people!" Nia snapped back at Tora loud enough to wake Dromarch from his catnap to which she apologized by offering him a scratch beneath his chin.

"Besides, Nia's blade mode looks fantastic already. Every bit as nice as nurse outfit from Masterpon!" Poppi boasted with a raised fist.

"Oh, I err... thanks Poppi..." Nia was not used to receiving such direct praise for her physical appearance with her companions usually drawing more attention with their very distinct assets, "I put a lot into looking my best today."

"Very cool!" the robot gave an encouraging thumbs up.

"Well, at least somebody thinks so..." Nia shrugged her shoulders, "Nobody else seems to be too interested at the moment."

"Nia remind Poppi of Poppi when she was first born," Poppi reflected, "When Poppi first started, nobody thought much of Poppi, but through a lot of hard work and collecting parts, Masterpon helped Poppi upgrade so now, when Poppi goes into action, everyone is amazed!"

"Okay, I guess that makes sense..." Nia tried to mask her confusion.

"I think what Poppi is suggesting is that you need to start small and work your way up," Dromarch interpreted the story, "You're not going to have people immediately lining up to trust you in dealing with their life-threatening illnesses. You need to show your skills in handling more simple ailments to attract requests to deal with more complicated ones."

"It's a waste for Nia to sit here all day doing nothing," Tora added, "People get owies all around town every day. They need to have Nia waiting to make them all better."

"Well, it's not like I have anything better to do at the moment," Nia stood up and stretched, "Tora, Poppi, would you mind waiting here in case somebody does show up looking for me? Otherwise, I'll take a walk around town and see what I can find."

"No problem for Tora!" the Nopon agreed.

"Mission accepted," the robot affirmed

"Dromarch?" she requested his assistance.

"As you wish, My Lady," the tiger stood back up and departed alongside Nia with Tora and Poppi wishing her luck

A stroll through the shopping district started off fairly uneventfully although it did help to highlight just how much more abundant resources were since the people and titans had descended to the planet's surface. The stock in stores had only gone up as prices went down. People were much more cheerful in their bartering with fights involving dissatisfied customers being far less frequent. All in all, it was a reminder of just how far the world had come in no small part thanks to her efforts with Rex, but sure enough, this town still had its troubles as she soon overheard.

"Ah, shit, right into the back of my hand!" a shout could be heard coming from the meat shop

"I told you to be more careful with that damn cleaver!" one butcher yelled at another.

It didn't take much thinking for Nia to deduce what was happening and immediately break into a jog towards the opportunity. Arriving at the stand of the meat sellers, she found one Gormotti butcher clutched his hand which had been gashed open and dripping blood with the other trying to wipe it up and keep it from contaminating any of their products. Seizing on the confusion, Nia hurried over to take hold of the butcher's wounded hand to work her magic on.

"Who are you? What the hell are you doing?" the man was visibly caught by surprise.

"Just relax. I'm a healer," she promptly began her soothing of his wounds.

With a faint blue glow, the cut on his hand vanished in mere seconds along with the pain which brought an expression of shock and relief to his face.

"Wow, that's incredible," the man inspected her work, "I've had healing blades work on me after I messed myself up in the past, but you didn't even leave behind a scar. It's like it was never there. Seriously, who are you?"

"The name is Nia. I've just opened up a treatment clinic here in Torigoth for anyone who needs my help," Nia politely introduced herself, "I guess you could say I've got some special skills, and I'm just trying to get the word out."

"Well damned if I'm not sold," he clenched his fist to see that there was no pain whatsoever, "The name's Greg. I'll definitely recommend you to anyone I know who needs to get fixed up."

"Thank you so much," Nia bowed respectfully.

"If you're all better then get over here and help clean up your mess!" Greg's partner suddenly scolded him.

With a twinge of fear in his eye, the butcher scurried over to assist in wiping up the remaining as Nia took a proud walk back to where Dromarch awaited to hear what he hoped would be good news.

"Did things go well, My Lady?..." Dromarch asked.

"Fine, I actually think I did fine..." Nia deflated as she realized just how tense she had gotten in that situation, "I healed him right up, he thanked me and said he'd tell others about me, and didn't seem to be afraid, angry, or anything."

"It's alright to take things slow," he advised her, "Even after all that's happened, it's okay to be cautious. We can't be sure how any given person will react. Time will be needed to earn their trust."

"You're right, but we need to keep going," she pressed on.

Nia resumed her trip around Torigoth by making a pass through the industrial area. Laborers hauled around sizable piles of wood as carpenters shaped and refined them with their tools to make the usable for the ongoing construction. Much work was being done to build the necessary accommodations for the refugees that had moved in from Indol after the titan fell in the battle with Amalthus. Unsurprisingly, she found a few more people with bumps and splinters that could use her assistance, all of whom expressed their thanks to her as she went on her way with little incident, much to her surprise and relief. Moreover, despite the pedestrian nature of the injuries she had tackled thus far, a sense of accomplishment welled up within in her unlike any she had ever experienced before.

"After all we went through against Malos, I never envisioned myself using my powers for such minor nicks and bruises, but it's actually making me feel pretty happy," Nia admitted to her blade.

"I don't think it's much of an exaggeration to suggest that you've been granted the power over life and death itself. It makes me happy to see you settling on a purpose for it," he replied.

Their path next took them past the Ardanian military base on the edge of Torigoth that was still seeing a good deal of activity. Even in these newfound times of peace, nations had to be ready to deal with the potential emergence of new conflict or even another world threatening cataclysm, so, in some ways, the Ardanian army was as busy as it had ever been. Soldiers could be heard hustling and bustling all over the base. She paused to remember the own time she had spent her as a prisoner before Rex came to rescue her like no human had ever done before. It was a memory that had become every bit as pleasant as it was painful for her as the starting point for her affections that would ultimately bloom into something far greater. Shifting her thoughts back to the matter at hand, Nia had a hunch that this was a place that was going to be in particularly dire need of her assistance. Her instincts were quickly proven to be quite sharp by a sudden bang followed by an audible shout that even far less sensitive hearing than hers would easily pick up.

"Is everyone alright?!" one soldier could be heard calling out.

"My eye! It's my damn eye!"

Nia rushed through the entrance get to check on the cause of all of the commotion. Smoke was emanating from the vicinity of a gun turret in what appeared to be some sort of training session gone awry. Science stopped for no man and efforts to build and develop more effective weaponry were ongoing. Fortunately, the barrel was pointed in a direction where it wasn't a threat to any Gormotti civilians but at least one soldier appeared to have been caught up in the crossfire with several of his comrades huddling around him.

"Somebody get a first aid kit over here ASAP!" one of the Ardanian troops ordered.

Getting closer, Nia was able to identify on soldier in the center of the group with his helmet off revealing a quite piercing set of blonde hair and blue eyes. A fair amount of blood was covering the left side of his face, the origin of which appeared to be a nasty wound around his left eye.

"I think this eye might be done for," the soldier predicted grimly as his fellow officer offered him a cloth to help stop the bleeding.

"Don't say that until we get you to a doctor," the other troop tried to console him but appeared to silently agree with his prognostication at which point Nia saw her chance to intervene.

"Would you mind giving me a chance to look at it first?" Nia offered her help, "I'm a healing blade. I might be able to save it."

Noticing Nia created an immediate clamor within the group debating on whether to accept her assistance or not. She might have been able to get by the uninitiated civilians of Gormott without drawing too much attention, but there was no way for her to put one over on a well-trained and educated faction of the Ardanian army. There was no doubt in Nia's mind that they could tell who and what she was, but she was determined to stand firm through it as they went over their thoughts and doubts with each other. The commotion settled down into something of a tentative agreement with one soldier's voice rising up above to speak for the group.

"I don't know how you can honestly expect us to let you do that. Do you think we can't tell that you're a..." he hesitated in what Nia couldn't quite tell was either anger or fear.

"I'm a what?" she readied herself to defend from any sort of attack.

"You're a-" he began to speak before an even louder voice shouted him down.

"Get out of the girl's way! Let her take a shot!" it boomed.

"Captain Padraig!" they were all stunned at the recently reappointed captain's order, "I don't mean to be guilty of any kind of insubordination, but don't you know that she's-"

"I know who she is!" he declared, "That's why I think it's worth giving her a try."

Padraig motioned for Nia to advance, and she nodded in gratitude. Harnessing a few droplets of glimmering water in her palm, she knelt down to closely inspect the soldier's wounds. Once she had discerned the extent of the damage, she applied the liquid to his wounds and closed her eyes to focus on her most serious work thus far. Her patient cringed at first but gradually began to reopen his injured eye in amazement at the results.

"I think I can see... I can still see!" he exclaimed in disbelief.

"As long as you take it easy for a little bit, none of the damage here should be anything permanent," she soothed him.

"I can't believe this. You're a genuine miracle worker!"

"It's what I'm here to try and do," she smiled at him and finished up her treatment.

The other soldiers in the base still appeared to be somewhat apprehensive, so Nia kindly made her exit so as not to risking causing any real trouble with them. A military base was the last place she would have expected herself to voluntarily walk into a few years ago, and she felt that it was a real testament to her newfound courage that she was able to come in and out with her head still held so high. On her way out the gate though, her ears caught wind of the soldier who had objected with her before going over to have a chat with Padraig.

"With all due respect, Sir, there's no way in hell you didn't also notice that blade was a flesh eater."

"You're right. I absolutely did. It's why I figured her powers might be a cut above even the empire's best healers."

"Even if that's true, you still know where that power came from, the sacrifice and devouring of a human life! We've been receiving anonymous reports of a flesh eater walking around town all day. She has quite a few people in the area on edge, wondering if they could be her next meal, and asking us to intervene."

"Then you should have paid more attention to the orders we just received from the Special Inquisitor a few days ago. We were sternly commanded not to take any action against a flesh-eating healing blade that might be spotted on Gormott in the near future. If you lay so much as a finger on that girl, it'll be your head that Lady Morag will want on a platter. If you have any further complaints, then take them up with her."

"You sure bet that I will!" he stormed back into the base

Nia had to stop for a moment to take in this news properly. Even when she vowed not to be afraid, she knew that not everyone was going to have a positive reaction to her right away, but hearing people's ill feelings towards her put out in the open for the first time forced her to take pause. As she mulled it over, she spotted one of the fliers Rex had helped her in putting up being kicked around by the breeze out of the corner of her eye. Picking it up showed her the phrase "Beware of the Flesh Eater" scribbled onto it and what she could only presume was also on several others. She wasn't naive enough to think that there weren't at least a few people who would notice her and make their displeasure known. Even with her extensive mental preparation though, the heartache that came now that she had reached this juncture could not be entirely ignored.

"My Lady, you can't give in based on the mere words of others," Dromarch noticed the paper in her hand and could read her thoughts fairly well based on it.

"it's fine, Dromarch. I was... ready for stuff like this," she did her best to show composure, but the tiger could read further into the hurt on her face.

For all of the sorrow she was feeling at the time, none of it had to do with any sort of fear. She was a far more skilled fighter than she used to be to the point that no ordinary blade or driver was going to be taking her down anytime soon. On top of that she now shared a lifelong bond with a group of friends she still knew she could count on. In particular, she was overwhelmed with appreciation for the friend and ally who was still looking out for her even as she was swamped with work back in her homeland of Mor Ardain. However, what was much stronger was the deep frustration set in at hearing just how little had changed in the thinking of so many even with the Praetorium dead and buried. People weren't any less distrustful of her, they were just being more compelled to hide it. Even hearing that her safety from any sort of detainment or prosecution was guaranteed, realizing that just so many felt terror just from the sight of her was as striking of an indictment as any arrest warrant. Were any of the people she helped before actually fearful for their lives when she approached them? Would it even matter that she healed them if they knew where that strength came from? Was there any hope of her being seen as a blade that everyone could sincerely trust? Even if she had sworn to herself not to live in fear anymore, she did not want her presence causing others to feel afraid either. It had her seriously contemplating calling it quits for the day until she managed to pick up on one more brief exchange, this time between Padraig and the soldier she had just healed.

"Is it really true that she got the power she healed me with by consuming a human?"

"I can't say for sure, but I do know that that power is the reason you still have your full eyesight right now. Rumor has it in upper circles of the army that that power is also the only reason Emperor Niall is still alive right now. If that does happen to be the case then it can't really be all that bad, right?"

This single line left Nia with hours' worth of food for thought as she decided to at least head back home to get some food into her stomach. At the very least she decided that she would power down back into her normal disguise to avoid creating any further needless fear in people until she decided how she would tackle her issues with public trust. A plan that was put on temporary hold when she overheard a crash in the area of a nearby tree she had passed by.

"Sally, are you alright?" a young male Gormotti helped an even younger girl resting against the tree trunk.

"It's my ankle, brother!" she could be heard to be sobbing, "I can't walk on it."

Nia could easily deduce what happened here. Going over to the tree, Nia happened upon a young Gormotti girl and a slightly older Gormotti boy. The girl had medium length fair and was dressed in a rose pattern sundress while her brother was wearing a set of blue overalls. Years after her own time being raised on Gormott, climbing trees was still a favorite pastime of the local kids. This one certainly appeared to have gone wrong as the sobbing girl compelled her to take one more patient before calling it a day.

"I heard some crying over here. Are the two of you okay?" Nia checked up on the children.

"I hurt my leg falling off the tree," the Gormotti girl tearfully recalled.

A closer examination of the girl told Nia that the injury was nothing serious but revealed to her someone who reminded her of her own departed sister to a startling degree in her appearance, playfulness, and apparent frailty. She wasted no time in taking the girl's right foot into her hands and using her healing to ease the girl's pain just as she wished she could have done for her sister all those years ago.

"Wow, lady... are you a blade?" her brother was bewildered.

"Yes, I'm a healer," Nia responded, "Your sister will be just fine."

"Really?" her brother was amazed as he watched Nia restore his sister's ankle to hull health.

"Yes, she's all good to go," the blade released the child's ankle from her grip to a bewildered expression.

"It's all better! It's really all better!" she immediately began to jump for joy, evoking further memories within Nia of a more peaceful, playful time in her life.

"And it'll stay better as long as you're more careful on those trees," Nia took more joy in this reaction than anything else she had seen all day, "You have to hold on with your legs as well as your hands."

"You know about tree climbing?"

"Quite a bit, I actually lived here in Gormott for quite a while," Nia felt her spunkier side reawakening.

With grace and agility that belied her often belligerent demeanor, Nia demonstrated what she had once shown to her own sister as the correct way to climb a tree by using every muscle in her body to maintain a firm grip as she made her way up. After taking her place at the top to their amazement, she gained the confidence to take some time to show off by hanging on a sufficiently sturdy branch with only her legs and swinging upside down for a few seconds. The inverted view brought back memories of when she showed her sister how to climb trees in a similar manner. Feeling the pull of gravity running through her whole body was a liberating, nostalgic sensation that she never realized how much she sorely missed. Her lesson was capped off with a leap into the air and a perfect landing on the ground. The kids were every bit as impressed by this display as they were by her blade powers before.

"Wow, you're good," the boy reached out to shake her hand, "I've seriously got to thank you for helping out my sis. I'm Trevor and she's Sally."

"I'm Nia," she introduced herself as well, "No need for thanks. I'm just doing what I can to help."

"Well, you did plenty for me," Sally beamed.

""It was the least I could do."

"You're a blade, right? Where's your driver? I'd like to thank him too," Trevor looked around.

"Oh... He's... away for a bit," Nia avoided the subject.

"Well, I'll definitely make sure to pay you both back when I get the chance," he promised.

"I'll look forward to it," Nia turned to take her leave before the kids could ask her anything uncalled for. Even so, the girl she had nursed wasn't about to let her get away just yet.

"Hold on, Miss Nia!" Sally grabbed her by the sleeve hanging from your arm."

"What is it?" Nia was surprised by the strength she showed compared to how helpless she appeared before."

"Your core crystal. It's a different color from other blades I've seen," Sally confirmed.

"You've seen other blades?"

"Our dad is friends with a few drivers, so we're trying to learn about blades," Trevor explained, "And she's right, I've never seen a blue and red one before."

"Is that so?..." Nia felt some of her prior tension returning.

"Yeah, I just wanted to say that I think it's pretty," Sally stated as earnestly and innocently as anything as Nia had ever heard.

"That's all?" Nia hesitated to see if their observations went any further

"Yup," Sally nodded, "It sort of reminds me of the color of flowers."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh, thanks again for healing my leg," she stood up and began to go off on her own way with her brother.

"You're welcome," Nia waved them farewell until she could finally get a moment to process her emotions with a hand held over the core crystal in question, "Pretty, huh?"

Looking at her own crystal's tainted coloration had only ever made Nia think of the color of blood, whether it be the blood of the sister she had lost and the blood that had been needlessly shed in the battles since then, but perhaps flowers were a better comparison than she would have once thought. After years of hiding, she was now on a journey to find a place to blossom in full glory, and this seemed like far less of an impossible task than it felt to her a few minutes earlier.

"Well, as long you really think so..." she shrugged to herself before returning to where she had left Dromarch behind, "I definitely think we can call it a day here."

"Time for a meal?" Dromarch picked up on her rumbling stomach.

"Yeah, I've got some leftover tuna salad back at home in the kitchen," Nia hopped on his back where he was always glad to help give her weary legs a rest, "Of course, I saved enough for us both."

"I'm grateful," he gave a warm smile and started his trek back to the office.

"For what? You know I'd never let you go hungry."

"No, not for that," he corrected her, "For the kids. Even if the thinking of the older generation is already set in stone, it only takes the purity of a fresh new wave to maybe finally turn things around."

"Yeah, I think you're right..."

With a sigh, Nia relaxed and allowed herself to revert to her more familiar Gormotti-like form and jumpsuit, both to avoid drawing any further attention and to preserve her energy that was finally starting to wane somewhat. Returning to her house the pair found Tora and Poppi waiting for them with the Nopon chowing down on the same bowl of tuna salad that she had been looking forward to eating herself.

"What the bloody hell is this?!" she yelled causing both to jump in sudden fright, "All I ask you to do is to keep an eye on the place, and you go and raid my fridge?"

"But proper house sitting requires making sure that all aspects of the home are functioning properly!" the Nopon defended himself, "Must be sure that Nia is taking care of her food properly. Tora knows how forgetful and inattentive she can be at times, but happy to say that food is indeed fresh and delicious!"

This story did absolutely nothing to improve the situation with Nia readying her claws to tear into the tubby mechanic. Terror building in his eyes and sweat beginning to pour out of him, Tora had to find some way to divert her wrath.

"Oh yeah, Tora just remember!" he luckily recalled just before a fist could make contact, "Nia doesn't even need to worry about food tonight because Rex-Rex stopped by to invite Nia for dinner!"

"Rex did?" the name briefly managed to quell her rage, "You had better not be lying!"

"Tora swears he's telling the truth! Rex-Rex said to go out into the plains. Azurda will be waiting at five o'clock to bring Nia over to his house for some of Pyra's home cooking. Very eager to congratulate on start of business."

"Masterpon's rate of honesty is only around twenty percent, but Poppi's is one hundred percent. Rex really did stop by. Was very eager to see Nia again!" Poppi declared.

Tora's desperate tactics were more effective than he ever anticipated in getting Nia's mind off of her lost fish. Rex, she could only imagine how long it had been since they had really seen each other. She hadn't been deliberately avoiding him, but, to say the least, she was keeping a safe distance. She would certainly talk to him on occasion and see him in get togethers between their old group, but she couldn't be sure when the last time she saw him without Tora, Zeke or Morag around was. The thought of being alone with him was still too awkward. Still, if he, Pyra, and Mythra were that eager for some time with her, they had done far too much for her to even consider refusing.

"Alright, Dromarch, it looks like I'm going out to eat tonight," Nia decided.

"Very well, my lady, I think I'll stick around here for this one though. It's probably a good idea to keep an eye out for vandals and thieves after what we've seen today," he made an excuse to stay behind, privately thinking about how beneficial it would be for Nia to get some personal time with Rex and the Aegis sisters.

"Alright, I guess I'll be back sometime tonight or tomorrow morning," she prepared to depart, noting how close it already was to the appointed time.

Heading through town and stepping out into the fields of the Gormott province, Nia spotted the first signs of dusk approaching as a tinge of orange was creeping into the deep blue skies. It was an opportunity to reflect on where she was now in her life. Despite some lingering hostility, she had gone out into the open as her true self and still come out okay. She truly knew now that she wouldn't have to return to those times running away from the world and herself, but, now that she reached this point, she had to notice the odd sense of emptiness that she was still feeling. The faces of those who had had their aches washed away by her healing were unforgettable to her, but why did they leave a lingering sense of guilt within her? What was she still missing? Maybe this gathering with those who held helped her escape the shackles of her past would provide the answers she needed to plow into the future ahead.


	3. Act Two: Blade and Driver

"Unbelievable, what a view," Nia gazed down at the landscape below from on top of the soaring titan.

The breeze running freely through her hair and ears was definitely a sensation that Nia had missed along with the spectacle of watch the world pass by below as she flew freely through the air on Azurda's back. As difficult as her adventure with Rex and the others had been at times, there was a thrill to it that her now more peaceful life couldn't quite match.

"So, how was the first day on the job, Nia?" the titan started up a conversation.

"Interesting to say the least," she replied, "You really get all kinds of folks in Torigoth."

"The more things change the more they stay the same, eh? The new land on the surface is quite mellow in comparison to the cities of Alrest. We've come to quite enjoy it."

Nia could easily see what he meant as she got a look at the land from above. The area where Rex had chosen to make his new home was uncharted territory which was exactly how Nia was sure Rex liked it. His present house was a quaint cabin on the beach of the boundless oceans that stretched further into the horizon than what could once be seen all across the planet's surface. In many ways, it was no different to his old home on Fonsett Village and Nia further noticed the significant presence of exotic plant life that she had never seen before on Alrest as the titan made his descent.

"The nature here is quite colorful," Nia commented.

"It has certainly helped to teach me what Dromarch meant about flora healing an aching soul," Azurda teased.

Upon making his landing, Azurda took his rest in the water, much like he used to in the Clouds of Alrest, as Nia gave her thanks and stepped down onto the beach. The tropical climate made her feel severely overdressed in her bulky clothing, but the setting sun offered some relief while she walked across the sand. Going up a few small sets of stairs, Nia stepped up to the porch to knock on the door.

"Nia! It feels like it's been so long since I've seen you!" Pyra answered and pulled Nia into the house with a hug.

"It hasn't been all that long..." Nia only grew hotter against the natural warmth of a fire elemental blade

"Well, it's definitely been longer than I'd like anyway," Pyra released her before she roasted completely, "You really should visit more often."

"I'll consider it, but I'll probably only be busier from now on."

"Of course, your healing clinic is up and running now. It's what we brought you here to celebrate, after all. Please come in. Rex and Mythra are already waiting in the dining room."

Nia entered the home which was every bit as quaint and charming as Rex's aunt Corrine's house back on Leftheria. Every bit of the walls and piece of furniture looked to be hand carved and crafted to create an aura of authenticity throughout the entire place. Walking into the dining room brought Nia face-to-face with Rex and Mythra who were just as eager to greet her as Pyra before them.

"Hey there, champ, I hear you've done very well with that idea of yours," Mythra placed a complimentary hand on her shoulder, "I knew you had it in you."

"Thanks, Mythra," Nia accepted the praise, "You look like you've been working hard yourself."

"Yeah, salvaging with Rex is interesting, if not a bit messy," Mythra acknowledged the spots of dirt that could still be noticed on her despite her best efforts to dust off, "This junk will probably be pretty important if we're going to rebuild this land properly."

Nia shared a laugh with her before freezing up somewhat upon making eye contact with Rex.

"It's really good to see you, Nia," he welcomed her, "As nice as it is with Pyra and Mythra, it's just not the same without all of the others around. Morag and Zeke are just too busy these days."

"It's good to see you too," Nia contemplated going in for a hug but forced herself to settle for offering a handshake that he gladly accepted, "I'm sorry that I missed your visit before."

"Don't be. I figured that you would be occupied with something when I showed up."

"Yes, it was certainly... eventful."

"Come on, tell us more."

"At the dinner table," Pyra interrupted the exchange, "I timed everything very carefully so that the food would be done right when Nia arrived. I won't have it being allowed to sit and get cold."

Like a mother with her children, Pyra led the three of them into the dining room where four chairs had been prepared. Plates and silverware had been neatly distributed across the table in the center of the room. Once Nia, Rex, and Mythra had taken their seats, Pyra began to bring out the various entrees that she had been preparing in the kitchen. For this meal, Pyra had readied an array various types of seafood along with Cream Orange Paratha and Snowbaby Potato Salad on the side. The significance of these choices was not lost on the girl from Gormott.

"It's been so long since we ate together like this and you still remember all my favorite foods?" Nia asked.

"Why wouldn't I? I've been looking forward having this dinner for a long time, Nia," Pyra beamed, "I'm proud of you, Nia. We all are."

"Seriously, I said I liked the idea when you told me, but I have to admit I wasn't sure you were going to go through with it," Mythra added, "Good work."

"Um... thanks," Nia was unsure if she was being complimented.

"Really, Nia, well done," Rex spoke sincerely

"Come on, it's nothing special..." Nia began to blush at all the praise, especially from him, "Enough about me for now. Tell me about what you have all been doing. Mythra said before that you're still doing salvaging work."

"Yes, I want to know as much about this world as I possibly can," Rex announced, "Even in ruins, Morytha was more incredible than any civilization that I've ever seen. I want to discover the secret for how we can recreate that now that the planet has been restored."

"You won't be satisfied until we've recreated the Elysium that you envisioned, eh?"

"Nope."

"That's just like you. It truly is."

"But that's a long way away. Tonight, we're gathered to celebrate our present successes, and that means you, Nia," Pyra raised her glass, "Can we have a toast for her here?"

The Aegis poured four glasses of grape juice out of consideration for the fact that Rex was still in his teens. The group held their cups high gave a hurrah for Nia who was modest but feeling too warm inside to keep a smile from creeping onto her lips. Once that was over though, the hunger from a day that had her skipping her lunch thanks to the poor manners of her Nopon friend became too much to bear. She dove into her meal with the ferocity of a feral animal.

"Woah there, Nia," Pyra was floored by her speed, "You don't have to eat that fast. It's not going anywhere."

"That's what I thought about the tuna salad I had saved at home before that damn Tora ate it on me today," Nia tore at the fish with her fangs.

"Well, I'll certainly have to have a word with him about that, won't I?"

"Your food is much better than anything I know how to cook anyway."

"Then, I'll be sure to make some more for you to take back with you."

"I'd savor every bit of it, Pyra."

The meal went on with merriment and laughter. Rex and Mythra had fascinating stories to share of what they've seen exploring the mysterious lands of the planet's surface. Relics of the ancient society gave them hints to begin to piece together aspects of its lost culture. Nia shared the stories of the people she had met in her first day on the job to which Pyra in particular seemed to take a strong interest. Eventually, the entire party had managed to get their fill of the banquet after which Rex and Mythra excused themselves to their room to inspect the haul of artifacts that they had recovered on their expedition that day. Pyra and Nia stuck around in the dining room to partake in a small desert and a cup of Pyra's favorite Jenerossi Tea. The time with Nia alone was an opportunity the Aegis had quietly been waiting for some time now and she seized on the moment.

"So, Nia, how have you been doing lately?" Pyra finally initiated a direct discussion now that they had some privacy.

"Oh, today went alright I suppose," she looked up from her drink.

"I'm not just talking about today. You already said plenty about that, but I want to know how you have been in the time since we all went our separate ways," the Aegis clarified, "I'm worried about you."

Nia was momentarily touched by the sentiment before forcing herself to laugh it off.

"Oh, come on, worried about me? What for? You know how tough I am."

"I know, but I feel bad that you're back out to living on your own after all you went through. We would have been more than happy to have you here with us."

"I'm not totally alone, I still have Dromarch as well as Tora and Poppi who visit from time to time. It was all my decision. Don't worry."

"If you say so..." Pyra took a sip of her beverage.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nia set down her own cup.

"I just wanted to make sure that you were living your life as you wanted after all that time you were wrongfully imprisoned."

"Of course, I... am," Nia couldn't force herself to complete the sentence smoothly.

"Please Nia, don't feel like you can't let me in on anything that's worrying you," Pyra became much more serious, "You did it before, remember?"

"Oh... yeah," Nia knew what she was referring to back in Mor Ardain.

"I hope you'll forgive me for being nosy, but I've always wanted to ask you a few things about that. Do you mind?"

"Go ahead. Lay it on me."

"Why were you in the hot spring when we stayed at the inn?" Pyra continued, "Why did you deliberately let me in on your secret? None of us suspected anything. You could have just kept on going in the guise of your average Gormotti. What changed?"

"Honestly, I don't think I was really all that sure at the time," Nia began to open up, "I could have kept a towel on or made an excuse to get out of the water before you arrived. I just... didn't. It was like an impulse I couldn't ignore."

"An impulse?"

"I was surprised... when we met Cole. I was still trying so hard to hide who I was, and then he just came out and said that he was a Flesh Eater like it was nothing and nobody else seemed to care. I watched Vandham die because I was too afraid to use my powers to try and help him and this guy who's nearing the end of his rope just... said it. If only for a moment, I got so sick of it. Even if I couldn't bring myself to say it out loud, I wanted an excuse to let someone know, even if only by accident."

"So, I guess it's only a coincidence that it was me. I simply happened to be the one who came into the bath with you."

"No, I think part of me really wanted it to be you. I mean... you're the Aegis."

"What does that have to do with it? I would hope you'd view me as a friend above all else."

"I do, but I wanted to know how you'd feel about it."

"Did you think I would somehow be upset with you?"

"No, no, of course not! I just wanted to... see it for myself."

"I'm still not following."

"How would the Aegis, the ultimate blade created by the Architect himself, feel about someone like me."

"Oh, you mean a..."

"A Flesh Eater," Nia finished Pyra's sentence, "Your father is the one who created all of us blades. I just wanted to see if you'd see me as some sort of freak or something. You'd know better than anyone."

"I may have powers that other blades don't, but I'm still a blade just the same as you. My opinion on the notion of if you're some sort of freak is no more important or valid than yours."

"You really think so?"

"I noticed that when you were sharing your stories with Rex, Mythra, and me during dinner, you seemed to strongly care about other people responded to interacting with you as your true blade self. Even once, if only for a second, have you ever stopped to ask yourself about how you feel about what you are?" Pyra cut to the heart of the issue.

Nia readied herself to answer but stopped dead in her tracks when she realized that she really hadn't. Her friends had never judged her after she told them the truth, and Dromarch would constantly go out of his way to offer words of encouragement, but she had not even remotely considered about how she felt about what she had become.

"I-I don't know..." was all she could whisper while hanging her head to hide the tears that were forming.

"And that's what I see to be a true tragedy," Pyra shared in her grief, "But then let me ask you now. How do you feel about being a Flesh Eater? Please feel free to take your time to think it over."

Nia drew in a deep stab of air to gather the strength to adequately ponder the question. First off, she had to realize that if she had never eaten her sister, she wouldn't even be here right now to begin with. Her memories and identity would have been lost along with her father's life, but that undeniable fact carried its own burdens.

"How is it fair for me to keep on living at my sister's expense?" Nia asked mournfully, "Can I truly justify how I've freed myself from the normal limitations of a blade's lifespan through the sacrifice of her life instead?"

"Do you regret it, Nia? Do you think you would've been better off remaining as an ordinary blade, returning to your core, and waiting to be picked up by a new driver to start a new life and identity?"

This question brought Nia's mind to all of the struggles she had seen the blades around her go through to try and hold onto themselves as they went through their natural life cycles. Brighid's journal, Pandoria giving Zeke a piece of her core, the tragedies that befell Jin and Fan La Norne, all of them were born from the crushing desire to remain as the people they knew, to control their own fates. A crisis she had evolved beyond through her sister's blood. In remaining as her current self, she had gained an irreplaceable set of friends where were almost like family to her and she never had to worry about forgetting it. Perhaps the reason that she felt so guilty was that she understood so well just how tremendous of a blessing being alive truly is.

"How do you think your sister would feel if she knew? That it's now only through her that you're alive and free? Would it have made her happy?"

"I can't tell you what I'd trade away to ask her that myself! To let her know that I still love and miss her, even now. To thank her for everything from the bottom of the heart she gave me!" Nia buried her face into her hands in anguish.

This was a powerful teaching moment for Pyra as well. She was all too familiar with the struggles of blades to grapple with their mortality or lack thereof. In her case, it was the difficulty of having to make friends while always knowing that she would ultimately out live them, but she never thought of what it would be like having to live a life knowingly extended by the death of another. She had seen the toll it took on Jin and was more than determined to be there for Nia the way that she wasn't for him.

"You may be saying stuff like this now, but you've shown me a stronger will to live than just about anyone I've ever met. Somebody who regrets being alive would never have come up with the idea that you did to build a place dedicated to saving lives. There must be something that's still keeping you going," Pyra got up from her seat and walked around the table to rub Nia on the back, "Or someone."

"Thanks, Pyra," Nia lifted her head, "Sorry for all of the sobbing. It just feels like I don't have anybody I can talk about this sort of stuff with."

"What about Dromarch?"

"He's nice, but he always has to give the polite answer. He's not the type to bring the hard questions that need to be asked."

"What about Rex?"

"What about Rex?" Nia repeated.

"Why do you barely talk to him anymore? Back when we were on our journey, you two always had each other's backs. Now it feels almost like you don't want to speak to him. This is the kind of stuff he'd want to know about. He may not be able to fully understand it, but he cares about you as much as anyone in the whole world."

"Of course, I want to speak to him. I just want to make sure he has his space. I mean it's already a bit crowded here with you and Mythra around. He doesn't need to hear my complaining too..."

"So that's it. You still feel embarrassed over how you told him you loved him." Pyra was astute enough to read between the lines of her remarks.

"What?! Where did you hear about that?!"

"From Pandoria, but I always had a hunch. It's why I asked you to take care of him for me after all. You performed more admirably as his blade than I had ever envisioned."

"So, you were thinking that far ahead, eh? You really do see right through me..."

"From what I heard he wasn't at all upset over it."

"No, he said he loved me too. That he loved all of us. It was so like him that I couldn't help bursting out into laughter."

"And is that a bad thing?"

"No, but I can't so blind as to ignore the fact that he's going to end up loving some people more than others," Nia eyed Pyra sharply, "Who am I to force my own feelings against his own?"

"But shouldn't he be the one to make that decision?"

"I think he made it pretty clearly."

"Can you be sure about that? Did you ever discuss the subject with him?"

"What? No? I mean we tried, but the time never felt quite right?"

"Was that because he thought so or you did?"

"Me..." she confessed

"Are you willing to decide that now is the right time?" Pyra proposed.

"Now? You mean right now?"

"You're out there trying to make sense of your relationship with society, yet you won't even decide what sort of relationship you're going to have with the person you care about most?"

"Why are you doing this, Pyra? Isn't he your special someone?"

"This isn't about that. This is about helping a friend get the closure she needs to get on with her life," Pyra helped Nia out of her chair, "Are you ready?"

Nia locked eyes with Pyra to confirm her resolve although she still wasn't entirely sure she was ready. The purity Rex displayed in answering her confession was still fresh in her mind, and the message she got from it remained the same. This was a boy who valued the happiness of his friends above all else. What greater betrayal of that trust he placed in her could there be than for her to deliberately pit the happiness of one person he cared for against another? Still, she could also sense how much it hurt Pyra to see the pain forcing herself apart from him. The unselfishness of the Aegis was still unequaled in anyone she had ever encountered. Not wanting to take what Pyra was offering to her too lightly, Nia allowed herself to take on her full blade form one more time for the day. If she was going to do this, it wasn't going to be while holding anything back.

"Okay, I'll do it," Nia nodded with the most conviction she had displayed in a while, "For real this time."

Pyra led Nia up the stairs to the room that she and Mythra shared with Rex. Inside, the salvager was still going over his latest haul of scrap with the blonde-haired Aegis.

"Living on the surface has made finding treasure like this easier than ever before," he announced to Mythra.

"The old world my father grew up in really was a remarkable place," she answered. Further studying the origins of the Architect, the Artifices, and the World Tree had become something of a hobby of hers while working alongside Rex.

Upon reaching the bedroom at the end of the hallway, Nia and Pyra could hear the discussion coming from inside. The blades stopped one more time for the Flesh Eater to fully still her nerves. After a nudge from behind by the Aegis, Nia finally knocked on the door to get Rex's attention.

"Rex, may I come in?" she spoke into the room, "I'd like to have a few moments to talk to you. It's really important."

"Sure, the door's unlocked. Help yourself," he accepted.

With a twist of the knob and a creaky push, Nia opened the door to astonish the pair inside at the change she had made into her true form and Pyra waiting behind her.

"Nia, is everything alright?" Rex didn't know what to make of it.

"What's going on, Pyra?" Mythra questioned her sister.

"You and I need to go immediately," Pyra summoned her with a wagging finger.

"If something's wrong, I want to know about it too," she protested

"These two need to be alone, now." Pyra declared with shocking sternness that not even Mythra could disobey.

Without another word of objection, the Aegises exited the room and Pyra led Mythra away so that they wouldn't even be within earshot of the conversation. Whatever may come of this discussion, Pyra knew Nia's feelings still deserved her respect and an appropriate degree of privacy. Rex listening to their footsteps grow more and more distant gave Nia the necessary time to search her thoughts for the proper ice breaker to address the elephant that she had been permitting to linger in her life for far, far too long.

"Do you still remember, Rex?" Nia started with a question once the sound of walking had faded completely, "That thing I said to you that one time in the Spirit Crucible."

"Huh? Oh yeah, that," he figured out where this was headed.

"You tried to talk it over with me a few times though I brushed you off every time because I was too embarrassed and maybe even fearful to confront it, but now I'm ready for it."

"Sure, Nia, I'm listening," Rex remained patient with her.

"Well, even before that, I think I need to start by apologizing to you, Rex," Nia digressed, "For lots of stuff."

"Like what? You haven't done anything wrong," he remained as unassuming as ever.

"I lied to you," she reminded him, "A lot."

"You mean about you being a blade? I know I may have sounded mad, but I was more confused, really. I didn't get why anyone would feel the need to hide anything from me, but I was just being selfish, I suppose."

"What? No! How in the world could you be the selfish one here? I let you and others get hurt because I found it preferable to facing my fears. How does that not make me the selfish one?"

"I never doubted that you had your reasons."

"There was never a valid reason. It's all my fault for pathetically losing my ability to trust anyone, especially humans."

"I don't blame you. I saw in my travels with you that there are a lot of bad people out there looking to abuse and exploit blades."

"But I never should have let myself think for even an instant that you might be one of them. You came back for me, when I was arrested. Even Malos and Jin decided I wasn't worth bothering with once I left them. On the other hand, you barely knew me, yet you still saw fit to come back for me. You wanted to search for Elysium with me. I should have known at that moment how my feelings were changing. I should have told you everything about me right then and there. Instead. I chose to do what I could avoid your notice, and it's my responsibility exactly how our relationship turned out because of it."

"No, you shouldn't have to go out of your way to seek my attention. I should have been able to spot how you were feeling on my own, but instead I let myself get too fixated on Pyra to see how my actions were affecting the rest of you."

"What are you talking about, Rex?"

"Sorry, you just made me remember something that's all. What you said to me in Elysium."

"I don't remember saying anything to you up there."

"Well, it wasn't you. It was another you."

"Huh?"

"Remember what Klaus showed us and what he said about it being our inner fears? When that happened, I saw you for a little bit."

"Oooooooh," she finally put the pieces together in her head.

"You were pretty angry at me, asking why I only ever thought about Pyra and never noticed you."

"That was just your fears talking though. I would never say something like that. Pyra is a good friend to me and someone very special to you. She even saved your life multiple times. I'd never feel any sort of resentment towards her."

"Still, you saved me too. You had your own problems just as Pyra and Mythra did. I should have done a better job seeing them."

"Come on, Rex. You're the Driver of the Aegis. Everyone on Alrest was counting on you. That's much more important than trying to sort out my personal issues."

"Do I need to give you a refresher on the Salvager's Code? I'm going to help my friends, no matter what, and that's it. If anything is ever bothering you, I'll always be willing to lend a hand or an ear."

"Thanks Rex, I... knew I could count on you," Nia smiled but with her eyes welling up

"Is everything... alright, Nia?"

"No, I'm really not sure it is..." she began to let out a few sobs, "It's no good. It's no damn good."

"What's no good?"

"I thought it was just something I spat out in the heat of the moment, something that I would just get over if I got away from you for a little while, but it's not working. Not even a bit."

"What isn't working, Nia? What can I do?"

"I love you, Rex," she looked directly at him with tears rolling down her cheeks, "I still do, as much as I ever have. I wanted to try and force myself to forget, but I can't. I simply can't."

"I know, Nia," he was much more prepared to hear it than he was last time, "I... I'm still not totally sure of what to say to you about it, but I know what you mean. Trust me..."

"No, you don't need to say anything at all. I'm... I'm just being self-centered," she wiped her face with her hand, "You have your own life with someone you love, and here I am dumping my own feelings on you as if it's somehow your fault that I have them and your problem to fix. It's wrong. You don't deserve to have to deal with this."

"Nia, please don't talk like that," Rex placed his hands reassuringly onto her shoulders, "Loving someone is never a selfish thing to do. I know I didn't answer you in the best way I could when you said it that time, but I swear that it still made me happy to hear it and fight alongside you. Even if I can't return your feelings the way you wish I could, I would never think less of you for having them."

"Thanks Rex," she got her composure back, "Looks like Pyra was right as usual. I really did need to hear that. I still remember what I saw you say to me on Elysium as well. Demanding to know how in the world I could possibly have the nerve to say I loved you after deceiving you for so long. Begging to me to go away so that you could be alone with Pyra and Mythra. Even when I learned it to be an illusion, I could never be certain that you would be in the wrong think that way about me."

"Not in a million years, Nia."

"Yeah, thanks, and thanks for lending me your time too. I know I can't be that special someone in your life, but I don't want that to keep us apart anymore."

"I would never let it, Nia. You're still my blade, after all."

"I'm your what?" Nia was unnaturally surprised by such a simple statement

"Well, I mean you said you'd let me be your driver, so that means you're my blade, right?"

"Yeah, well, I just wanted to be of help. I never really thought of it like that."

"Why not?"

"Well, when I think of a driver and blade team I think of Morag and Brighid, Tora and Poppi, ...or even Shellhead and Pandoria," Nia admitted with a blush.

"And what is it that they have that we can't? They support each other, laugh together, cry together, share advice, and fight their hardest for one another. Didn't we do the same when battling to rescue Pyra? Can't we continue to do it?"

Nia really didn't know what to make of this proposal. She had experienced more than enough of what it meant to be a blade and driver through adventuring with her friends. Morag in particular had become someone she could admire, and, for all of their goofiness, the bond between Zeke and Pandoria was unlike any other she had ever seen. Despite having her own blade in Dromarch, as a Flesh-Eater, she never felt like a real driver or a real blade, unable to truly relate to either. Fighting as a driver often left her wondering if she was simply exploiting her blades as Jin so often claimed, and the time she spent fighting alongside Rex was muddled by regrets over having misled him for so long. Blades and drivers aren't supposed to choose one another, but, for Rex to be able to look past all she had done and want her to be his blade anyway made her happy beyond anything she could put into words. The salvager followed up his suggestion by holding a hand out to her.

"Do you want me to be your driver, Nia?" Rex finally asked, "For good this time?"

She knew immediately what it was he wanted from her and gave it to him by spawning her familiar scimitar from her core crystal. Handing it over to him had her so excited yet so nervous that she couldn't stop her cheeks from turning a vivid shade of red or her ears from twitching furiously. The words Mythra spoke on the World Tree also bubbled up to the top of her mind.

"I... I'm your blade, Rex," she presented the weapon to him, "Even if the body of a flesh-eater may inevitably get sick and die one day, I want to be your blade until it does!"

Placing his hand next to hers, they shared the blade just as they had on that day in the Spirit Crucible, but it now had an entire differently feeling to it. Nia wasn't just trying to act as a temporary substitute for Pyra and Mythra or provide a quick heal here and there. She was now ready and worthy to stand side-by-side with them and Rex for the long haul, just as she could now know that she could call on Rex for that extra bit of strength or support wherever and whenever she might need it. With the final barrier she felt had been blocking her ever since that fateful confession dissolving, she gave him the hug that she had denied herself before.

"Thank you, Rex, for everything," she squeezed and released him with one last smile.

"Anytime, Nia, anytime."

"Just promise me you'll try to be more of a Morag and less of a Shellhead,"

"Maybe, Nia. Just maybe." they split with a shared grin.

"I don't think I've ever be able to properly express my gratitude, but, as much as I'd love to stick around with you guys for a while longer, I know that I need to get myself back to the office. It may not be easy, but I know that there are people out there who need me, and I have to be there waiting for them when they finally do show up."

"Don't sweat it, Nia. I'll be just as sure to come visit you whenever I get the chance. We would all love to see what you've done with your new place."

Exchanging eye contact one last time to fully re-secure their bond, Nia exited the room to head downstairs where the Aegis sisters were waiting.

"How did it go, Nia?" Pyra inquired.

"Perfectly," Nia gave the most heartfelt smile she had all night, "I lost an important piece of myself when I let my conflicted feelings drive us apart, but I think I've really got it back. I feel like a brand-new blade."

"Pyra explained to me what was going on with you," Mythra walked up to her, "Don't ever feel like you have to be a stranger. We'll have a place open here for you anytime you want it."

"I'll never forget," Nia vowed, "I'll never forget again."

With a few more cordial farewells to her hosts, Nia took her leave of the house to head back to the beach where Azurda was ready to provide her a ride home. The night sky was even more gorgeous than the sunset she saw on her way in. The light of the stars raining down on her made her think of all the core crystals that spawned all of the blades and titans that made up this new world of Architect. This was a thought that would often come to mind for her when gazing at the midnight vistas during the occasional sleepless evening, but now she felt like she was closer than ever before to taking her firm place among them and shining brighter than ever before.


	4. Act Three: A Sister's Love

_-five days later in Torigoth-_

"Wow, fresh lobster for lunch," Nia was amazed by the platter before her.

A fine spread had been laid out on her dining room table, supplied to her by Tora who had just stopped by for a visit.

"O-Of course, only the best for friend Nia," Tora replied with visible fear.

He pretended that this was a mere gesture of friendship, but Nia knew what was really going on. As promised, Pyra had made certain that Tora paid her back for the tuna from before along with a bit of interest in a grand lunch he had brought over to share in her office. Still, she let him maintain the charade that this was all his idea and picked up her utensils to dig in when a knock came at the door.

"It figures that this would happen the moment I permit myself to take a lunch hour," Nia set aside her fork with a sigh.

Getting up, she took on her full blade form in anticipation of someone who would be needing her services. Business was still pretty slow, but it wasn't completely dead anymore. Even though she could still detect doubt lingering in a lot of people, word of mouth from the people that she had helped had people coming to her for further assistance with their daily aches and pains, especially from the local lumberyard. In this instance though, opening the door revealed nobody in the vicinity of her home whatsoever.

"Ugh, you've got to be kidding me," she groaned.

"Another one, my lady?" Dromarch asked from across the room.

"I don't know what they think they're doing," Nia shut the door and turned back around, "I've taken a lot of abuse for who I am over the years but ding-dong ditching? I've never seen it."

In the time since her return from her evening meal at Rex's house, once or twice a day she would get a knock on the door but answer to find nobody there. Was it just somebody's idea of a prank? She didn't have a clue and could only huff in frustration as she headed back to her seat. Unlike the other incidents though, the false knock was immediately followed by another one to which she lunged back for the door before the prospective visitor could escape.

"What do you want from me?!" she yelled out as she stepped outside.

"I-I'm sorry. Is this bad time?" a timid voice squeaked to her from below.

Looking down, she recognized the face of the Gormotti girl whose ankle she had healed days before who was holding up a vase of flowers in her arms.

"Sally?!" Nia was flabbergasted, "Oh my goodness, I am so sorry! I thought you were someone else."

"I-Is everything okay, Miss Nia?" she was still visibly shaken.

"Yes, yes, please forgive me!" Nia desperately apologized, "Was that you knocking on my door before too?"

"No, I just got here." Sally replied

"And you didn't see anyone else here?"

"Nope."

"Is that so?..." Nia pondered about the true culprit before turning her attention back to the girl in front of her, "Please forget I said anything. What brings you here?"

"Well, me, my brother, my dad, and some of his friends are all in town today to do some shopping for a big family dinner he's going to be having in a few days. While we were walking around I saw your name on this flier," Sally pulled out the sheet of paper from her pocket, "It said you have your own doctor's office and that you even stop Nopon nosebleeds good."

"Yeah, I do..." Nia inwardly cringed at the slogan that Tora had insisted on while he gave her a gesture of approval in the background.

"It made me remember how you healed my ankle last week and how much I wanted to thank you for it, so I bought these flowers at the market and came over."

"Awww, they're lovely," Nia gleefully accepted the bouquet, "Wow, red, white, and blue. What a nice choice of colors."

"They reminded me of you," Sally noted the combination of colors that comprised Nia's blade form.

"Thank you so much. Please, come inside," Nia invited her in.

As the pair re-entered the house, Nia summoned a cup's worth of water with her elemental skills to nourish the plants and set them down on the center of her table. The fresh flora immediately got Dromarch's attention just as Dromarch got Sally's attention.

"Oh my, aren't those some rare species?" Dromarch demonstrated his expertise with botany.

"My dad let me get some really nice ones when I told him they were for the person who healed me," Sally explained, "Aren't you the one other blade who was with Miss Nia last time?"

"Yes, my name is Dromarch," he introduced himself, "Nice to meet you,"

"Nice to meet you too," Sally bowed politely.

"He's another blade who lives and works with me," Nia clarified, "And this is Tora, my Nopon neighbor."

Sally and Tora acknowledged one another as Nia began rummaging around in her kitchen.

"Can I get you anything to eat?" she offered.

"No, I just had lunch and we're going to the farm pretty soon," Sally kindly declined.

"Well, feel free to get as comfortable as you want."

Sally accepted the offer by going over to Dromarch to pat his head and stroke his fur. He was normally too dignified to accept such pampering from anyone but Nia, but the young girl was too charming for him to rebuff. The scene struck Nia all too familiarly. Although the mammalian blade would have no way to recall it as it was in his past life before he returned to his core when her father passed away., Nia could not ignore what was the spitting image of how her late sister would pet Dromarch for comfort, especially when her sickness was really taking its toll. Sally giggled when she managed to get a husky purr out of him.

"You really like being scratched under your chin, don't you?" she playfully teased.

"Only my lady truly knows," Dromarch answered.

"Yes, he does," Nia chuckled, "Don't let the tough face fool you. He's melting on the inside."

"Aw, he's so cute," she finally let him go, "Would it be alright if I visited you guys more often?"

"Absolutely, nothing would please me more."

"That's good. I was worried that the cannibal might be a problem."

"What cannibal?!" Nia gawked.

"The one on the paper," Sally pulled the flier from before back out to read the scribbling on the reverse side, "On the back. It says to watch out for the cannibal. I saw another one talking about a blade that eats human flesh."

"S-Sally, I..." Nia struggled to find the right words to even start with.

"What is it, Miss Nia? Do you know where the cannibal is?"

"Sally..." Nia steeled herself for her greatest test yet, "Would you mind taking a seat for a minute?"

Sally gladly took the chair that Nia pulled out for her and Nia moved another one so she could be face to face with the girl. She had promised herself that she would not allow herself to be afraid anymore, but that didn't cover the bevy of other emotions now spiraling around in her head. Anxiety, sadness, and concern were merely a select few that she could distinctly identify. No matter the risks though, she was not going to tell this girl any lies. She had done enough of that in her life. As rough as it would be, it was better for Sally to get the truth from her now than someone else later.

"Miss Nia, what's wrong?" Sally's naivete gave her no cause for alarm, but she could sense shift in Nia's demeanor and grew worried for her.

"More than it would ever be fair of me to expect you to understand, Sally," Nia still felt herself getting cold feet, "I probably shouldn't talk about this stuff with someone so young."

"Please tell me. I want to know," Sally grew more eager, "I'm more mature than I look. I promise I won't get scared."

"Sally," Nia took a deep breath, "This world is a vast, gorgeous, incredible place, but in spots, it can also lonely, cold, and cruel."

"Because of the cannibal?"

"Sally," Nia fidgeted with her hands while contemplating how best to explain this issue to a child, "You said before that you thought my crystal was pretty, right? It's why you got the red flowers."

"Yup, it's really nice."

"I can't tell you how happy it makes me that you would say that. Very few others would ever think so."

"Why?"

"Because this red-and-blue crystal is shows people what I really am. It tells them of the crime I have committed against what they see as the natural order of blades and humans."

"What? Why would anyone think you have done wrong? You healed me without asking for anything back and quicker than any healer my dad has ever gotten me when I'm not feeling well."

"I'm not your ordinary blade, Sally. I've been blessed with healing powers beyond anything people would normally see, and that's frightening to a lot of them."

"Why would anyone think that's frightening? It's wonderful!"

"Because of the way I got them. I'm a blade that has bonded with the cells of a human being. I'm the cannibal you were warned about."

A chilly hush fell over the room at this staunch confession. A look at Sally showed Nia a degree of fear building up in her eyes, but from the way she never took her eyes off of Nia, it was as if Nia herself was not what Sally was afraid of.

"I-I'm sorry," Sally gave an unexpected apology, "I've never even heard of such a thing. I had no idea that this would be about you. That's terrible. I apologize for having said anything."

"What? You're feeling bad for me?" Nia gaped.

"I don't know a whole lot about this blade stuff. I just wanted to come say thanks to the person who helped me when I was hurt. I had no idea that people could think so badly of you. I hope I didn't say anything bad by accident."

"What? No! This is my problem to worry about, not yours. I've been going around healing people so they wouldn't have to be afraid anymore."

"I don't get what anyone would be scared of."

"There are rumors that blades like me get our powers by devouring people alive."

"Is that true?"

"No."

"Then you're not scary."

Nia was awestruck and moved by the girl's stunningly simple yet bold line of logic. In a way, it was as if Sally had a certain healing power of her own through her persistent innocence that was eerily reminiscent of a certain boy from Leftheria, so much so that her eyes were on the brink of tearing up with joy and she began giggling to herself.

"Miss Nia, are you okay?" Sally soon noticed.

"Yes, absolutely, you just remind me a lot of my driver," Nia rubbed her eyes and took a breath, "and my sister."

"Blades can have sisters?"

"Not normally, I was adopted into her family as her sister. We may have been different species, but I loved her just the same."

"I know what you mean. My brother means a lot to me too."

"She was very sweet and playful, but also physically weak. We tried everything including my powers to help her, but she fell terminally ill and passed away."

"I'm so sorry, Miss Nia."

"The family was devastated by the loss. So much so, that I was compelled to do what is considered taboo among blades. I consumed her remains and made her a permanent part of my body."

Sally's eyes went wide with astonishment and wonder. Nia knew that this story was likely far too heavy to put on a girl of Sally's age, but the unyielding focus in her eyes told her that her understanding was beyond that of a mere child's.

"She lives on in me now," Nia held a hand up to her crystal, "Because of the things that happened after that, my sister never even got a proper grave. I don't even have a photograph left. My memories and this tainted core crystal of mine are all that remain of her. It wasn't my intention when doing so, but becoming one with her awakened incredible powers within me and the strength I needed to make it on my own. Since then, I've made the most wonderful group of friends with the greatest driver imaginable. He was the first one to see me as something other than a freak. He gave me the courage to set aside my fears and open up this place to offer my healing to anyone who might need it."

"Like me?"

"Especially you. You really are so much like she was," Nia ruffled a hand through Sally's hair, "I may not have been able to help her, but I'm glad I could help you."

Sally responded to this touch by reaching out a single finger to Nia's crystal. She traced her finger along the discolored spots on it curiously but respectfully.

"It's wrong," Sally murmured.

"What is?" Nia became slightly bashful at the contact.

"If this is all that you have left of your sister, then you shouldn't call it tainted," she spoke more clearly.

"Oh... yeah, I guess you're right," Nia was surprised by the mild scolding.

"And nobody else should either," Sally continued, "My brother wants to be a driver when he grows up, but I still have a lot to learn about blades. Even so, I bet the reason you're so strong is because of how much you cared about her and how much she still cares about you. You should be proud to carry your sister with you. Even if something were to happen to me, if I knew that a part of me was still helping somebody I loved do such wonderful things, it'd make me that happiest girl in the world. I don't know why anyone would think what you've done is wrong. People should be glad to know someone like you, Miss Nia, and they should thank your sister."

Without any further conversation, Nia leaned forward to take the Gormotti child in for a hug. The embrace created a specifically familial warmth that she often doubted that she would ever have in her life again which only led her to hold on tighter. Sally was still too raw in her knowledge of the world to grasp the true weight of just what her words meant to the blade, but, as Nia continued to cling to her, she was the sort of girl who had never encountered a hug she wasn't ready to give back.

"Not just for healing, but if you ever need a blade's help with anything in your life, please come back to see me anytime you like," Nia whispered affectionately into her ear.

"I will, Miss Nia," Sally nodded into her chest before they released each other."

"And take care of your brother too," Nia added, "Even if he's bigger and stronger than you, he needs you as much as you need him."

"I will, I will," Sally repeated, "I've actually got to get going now though. He and my dad are probably writing for me at the farm right now."

"Take care!" Nia joyfully waved her off out the door before letting the emotions she was trying to contain for the sake of the girl slip out to the surface with a breath that might have been a sob and a clenching of her fist. Telling the story of her past took her to a lot of painful places but a lot of joyful ones as well. There was a liberating feeling to it as well that she was trying to process.

"Friend Nia..." Tora re-alerted her to his continued presence in her home, "Is everything alright?"

"About as alright I've ever been," she recollected herself, "Especially since I still have to eat this lobster you so generously donated."

"Yes, yes, eat away," his body stiffened instantly, "N-Nia deserves every bite!"

The trio shared a delightful lunch at the Nopon's expense with a sizable dessert as well. So sizable that even Tora's voracious appetite could be momentarily put to rest. They basked for a few minutes in the satisfaction of a full stomach, but Dromarch still had his two pieces of gold to offer on the discussion he had just overheard.

"My lady..." he somberly interrupted the silence, "As you know I lack any memories of the time before I had resonated with you."

"Yes, it's perfectly understandable," she answered.

"You've told me the story of my time with my previous driver, your father, but I'd never known how deeply you cared for your sister."

"I often questioned how much I really did care about her if I wasn't able to save her," Nia admitted, "All these years I figured that Father had come across some rare, expensive secret to produce the perfect flesh eater which is how I came out of the process so much stronger and healthier than ones like Cole, but now I wonder if that may not have actually been the case..."

"What do you mean?"

"Ahhh, it's probably just the idealistic rambling of a child, but, still, what if it really is true that it was my sister and I's love for one another that enabled me to bond to her flesh so well and awaken this power?" Nia allowed herself to ponder, "Then... maybe I..."

Nia gazed at the ceiling to contemplate this new possibility but was yanked out of her thoughts by a more frantic banging on her door than she had ever heard. Hurrying from her seat to answer the commotion greeted her with another familiar face on her front stoop.

"Trevor?..." Nia welcomed the boy but was immediately alerted to his disheveled demeanor.

"Nia!" he exclaimed, "It's you!"

"Yes, it's me."

"Please, come quick! It's terrible! It's awful!" Trevor was in a total panic.

"What's terrible?"

"Sally! It's Sally!' he finally managed to blurt out, "She said I could come to you for anything!"

"Of course! What is it?"

"She's hurt bad! Like really bad! Please, you have to get to the farm quick!"

Nia was ready to simply jog over to help with what was probably another leg injury or something, but a brief stare straight into his eyes told her of a crisis far more severe.

"Dromarch! Come here! We need to get to the farm as fast as possible!"

"Yes, my lady!" the tiger sprang into action and offered them both a seat on his back.

Tora scurried off on his own while Dromarch made his mad dash towards the farm. His beastly athleticism had them at their destination in what was no more than a minute, but the scene that they arrived upon told them that even that might have been far too long. The animals in the area all appeared to be in a state of unease with the centerpoint of the commotion seeming to be a young girl lying on the grass near the pen for the Arduns. Blood could be seen all over her clothing even from a distance. A crowd had already started forming around the scene with one large Gormotti man in particular unleashing his rage upon another.

"What the hell have you done?!" a booming voice cursed as a crowd was already starting to gather.

"Please forgive me, Sir Norman!" a much meeker one tried to apologize, "I've never seen him do anything like this before."

"What kind of farmer can't control his own damn animals?!"

"I swear this is the first time anything like this has happened."

"Well, that first time may have just murdered my daughter! I'll have your head for this!"

This statement captured Nia's absolute attention as Trevor had finally calmed down enough to talk about happened.

"It was the Ardun," he gravely gasped for breath, "Our father was inside discussing which types of vegetables he wanted to purchase."

Nia looked around the scene to notice a tall, buff Gormotti man dressed in fine robes and absolutely losing his mind on the helpless farmer before him. One good look at him and her own past experience immediately informed Nia of his true status.

"Your father is a lord of Gormott?!" Nia couldn't believe the coincidence

"Yes," Trevor confirmed, "While he was shopping, Sally and I were walking around outside to look at the animals. The farmer lets me feed them all the time. That includes the Arduns which I've never seen harm so much as a fly. Normally, I would do the feeding myself, but Sally really wanted to give it a try. Everything seemed normal but something spooked him out of nowhere, and he rammed his horn right into Sally's chest!"

The revelation had Nia's blood turning to ice as she looked around almost hysterically to try and find Sally. She soon noticed the girl on the ground was indeed her against all of her fervent wishes. What looked to be a Gormotti driver and a common bitball healing blade were attempting some sort of treatment on her while another Gormotti driver accompanied by an axe-wielding blade stood by the lord Norman, looking every bit as angry as he was.

"Who are these guys?" Nia questioned Trevor.

"The drivers I told you that my family knew. The one will the healing blade is Nate and the one with the attacking blade is Thomas."

Nia rushed over to get a closer look at Sally while the crowd only grew in volume. By the time, she made it over to Sally's side, it felt like the entire population of Torgioth was in attendance. The driver Nate and his blade were fervently working on Sally's gaping wound with every iota of their energy and concentration going into it, but a closer inspection of the wound told Nia of a tragedy on the horizon with her chest gashed open in crimson carnage.

"How's it looking, Nate?" Norman inquired of the driver with rising frustration and worry in his voice.

"Very bad, very, very bad," Nate revealed grimly, "All of our strength and skills are going into merely stopping the bleeding. I can't do anything for the wound itself like this. In the time I would need to stop in order prepare a suitable treatment for her, she would almost surely bleed to death."

"This is all your damn fault!" the lord turned his fury back to the farmer while Trevor went to tap on him for his attention.

"Dad!" he hollered up at him, "Do you remember what I told you about the time Sally got hurt climbing a tree last week? She couldn't walk, but this friendly healing blade came along and made her all better like it was nothing. I went out and found that same blade again. I think she can help Sally!"

"Really, son?" Norman looked over at where Trevor was pointing.

Trevor's story got the attention of everyone in attendance fixated on Nia as well. A single glance at her had the more astute faces in the audience freezing with a different sort of terror, including Norman and his driver friend.

"Is that really her, son?" he inquired in disbelief.

"Yes!" Trevor nodded wildly.

"What the hell? Your boy went out and found a damn Flesh Eater!" Thomas shouted loud enough for the entire area to hear and send the crowd into an audible commotion.

"Please, sir!" Nia hurried over to speak to Norman directly, "I know what ideas must be going through your head right now, but I beg you to give me a chance with your daughter. Her injuries are severe, life threatening even, but my healing powers are at a level above any blade you've ever seen. I'm the only one who can save her in such critical condition. Please, let me treat her!"

"Don't listen to her, sir!" Thomas yelled out still loud enough for all to hear, "Whatever special powers she might have, they surely came from the consumption of live humans! She's probably trying to use your girl for an easy meal!"

"You damned fool! I'm trying to help! It's her only chance!"

"Do you want to have to live with the guilt of feeding your own daughter to a cannibal?!"

"Please, Dad!" Trevor pleaded, "Sally's gonna die! I don't know as much as Uncle Thomas, but I swear that she's a really nice blade."

The exchange being heard across the area was enough to send the nearby civilians into a borderline frenzy. Amidst the chaos, Nia could make out larger debates on whether they should be trying to help her save Sally or if they should be saving Sally from her. Her impatience with the dire situation reached a boiling point to where she was about to go to Sally without the lord's permission, but Thomas promptly grabbed her by the arm.

"You had better get your hands the hell off of me right now!" she screamed at him furiously

"I'm not going to watch my friend's daughter become a Flesh Eater's next victim. I know how you are."

"You don't know a damn thing about me!"

Nia clenched her teeth in outer rage but inner helplessness. Attacking Thomas to get to Sally would only cement his words about her in the minds of him and any spectators. That would effectively be a death sentence for any future endeavors as a healer in public. Norman appeared to be at a total impasse on what he should decide to do that didn't look like it would be clearing up anytime soon. Still, Nia looked over fervently at Nate's efforts to save the girl that were visibly waning.

"It's no good!" he called out helplessly, "We can't keep this up. If some serious medical attention doesn't get here in the next minute or so she's absolutely done for!"

Seeing Sally's eyes fully close as she fully lost consciousness triggered to many memories to erupt within Nia all at once. Her sister, Vandham, Fan La Norne, the images of all those she had seen dead at her feet rampaged in her brain. Closing her eyes invoked a crisp memory of the last look she got at her sister's corpse before taking her flesh. The regrets within her from those times ultimately exploded to take up the form of a furious resolve.

"No, that's it. I've had it! I don't give a damn about what you people think! Not anymore!"

In a flash, she freed herself from Thomas' grasp and formed her scimitar in her hands to stand steadfast and ready for battle. Dromarch was quick to stand by her side with fangs bared.

"I don't give a shit about what you think about who or what I am! I've let too many people die because of people like you, but, this time, I'm saving that girl or dying right here with her! I don't know what exactly it is you've been told that Flesh-Eaters do, but I swear to unleash something a hundred times worse on your insides if you dare to try and stop me!" Nia issued an ardent ultimatum.

Even the battle tested driver show some genuine fright in reaction to Nia's threats, but only a moment later, he was prepping his own blade's axe to defend himself. Nia readied for the first swing when he was suddenly driven back by a blast she heard come out of the crowd. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Tora and Poppi rushing to her side and ready for a fight.

"Anybody who messes with Friend Nia messes with Poppi, world's best artificial blade!" the robot calmly but sternly warned her adversaries with Tora readying his weapon.

Their intervention was just the split-second distraction Nia needed to get away from the group and sprint over to where Nate was on his last legs. He looked up at Nia with his own reservations but was unable to voice any of them when the last of his strength giving out on him, Nia took charge of the healing process without leaving even a millisecond for any unnecessary bleeding. Thomas appeared to make the decision to charge at the other blades blocking his path but was halted by Norman's hand grabbing onto his shoulder.

"Don't do anything further," the lord commanded solemnly, "I'm willing make a deal with either an angel or a demon to save my little girl right now. Let's see which one I've been sent."

The stir in the crowd halted when Nia's powers formed a shimmering turquoise aura around her and her patient. This job would require intense precision to simultaneously close up the wounds, repair any damaged organs, and restore any lost blood that she had lost. It was a task beyond the capabilities of any standard healing blade. The strain of drawing out all of a person's latent life energy to do this on their own would typically kill the patient, but by expanding her powers outward to draw on the very life energy of the animals and plants roaming around the farm, a unique ability that remained a gift granted solely to her through the grace of her sister's sacrifice, Sally's chest cavity slowly but surely closed up and color began to return to her face. Just a few short moments later, the eyes of the Gormotti girl started to open again.

"Miss Nia?..." Sally called her name groggily.

"Sally!" Nia had never been so relieved in her life to the point where she almost collapsed in the middle of her work.

Through the water vapor emanating from Nia and surrounding the area, nobody but the two within the haze could make out the drizzle trickling out of her eyes and down onto girl below. Just as her power flowed into the girl beneath her, Nia's emotions ran a waterfall down her face and onto her clothes. It was going to take a few more minutes and all of the ether energy that Nia could muster, but she knew that Sally was going to be okay as long as she could keep this up, and this single realization was thoroughly overwhelming. After all of the death she had to stand by and watch because of either her own weakness or cowardice, this time, the person she wanted more than anything to save was really going to be okay. Part of Nia thought it was unprofessional to be crying like this while treating a patient, but she couldn't even try to get herself to stop the deluge of emotion overtaking her in this moment. Her time mourning for who she was and what she had lost was over. For all the debate that could still be had about whether her powers were good or bad, she never been so utterly elated to have these abilities as she was now. Her heart overflowed with joy seeing the girl whose life she had rescued with her healing touch, and her thoughts were those of gratitude for the sister who, even in death, had still left behind the blessings of her love, flesh, and power.

"Why are you crying?..." the girl seemed to not be entirely aware of her situation with her consciousness still foggy.

"Because I think I can see them now," she whispered, "The flowers you were talking about."

Before long, Sally had regained enough strength to move around slightly, and an awe came over the crowd as they bore witness to what some in attendance truly considered referring to as an act of the divine. Trevor was the first to take the initiative to go over and check on his sister's condition. His father Norman followed shortly after as well. A look from Nate at her showed him her rapidly improving condition. He raised an arm to signal her recovery to the townsfolk which was met with a raucous cheer.

"Sally? Baby girl?" Norman uneasily approached to get a look at her face, but his tension was totally alleviated with a single look at her now lightly smiling face.

"Sis!" Trevor clearly wanted to take her for a hug, but Nia stopped him with a turn of her head.

"Just give it a little longer. She's still going to need a lot of rest after this. Healing something like this takes virtually every drop of energy the body can offer up. I'd strongly recommend at least a few days of bed rest after this."

"Sure, anything you say," Norman was still overjoyed, "I can't believe I doubted you. You're a true life saver."

"I told you, Dad!" Trevor boasted.

"It's okay. I'm just a blade named Nia looking to do her best with the life given to her by those she loves. Nothing more," Nia finished up her emergency treatment to give the family a moment alone together.

Looking back at the crowd, she still heard all sorts of whispers speculating on what they should do next, but there would be no more hiding for her no matter what they may have decided. Finally, Thomas stepped up to speak to her again.

"Okay, fine, so you really did save little Sally and I appreciate it greatly, but is that supposed to make everything else magically go away?" he questioned her, "You may have powers beyond our comprehension, but that doesn't change the fact that it's a dead human that allowed you to get them. Is this our first look at bold new future we were promised when the titans left the Cloud Sea? Should I now expect it to become a kind of annual tradition to offer up human sacrifices to our blades and hope they also get superpowers? Has it really occurred to you just what manner of horror your display of heroism here might bring about?"

"I've thought about those types of things all too often, and it's why I've been limited up until now but no more," Nia turned to the people, "I don't care what anyone says about where this power of mine came from and what I'm doing with it. Nobody is going to stop from using these gifts to heal those in need and bring smiles back to their faces. You can continue to call me a monster, a cannibal, or whatever the hell you like, but if anyone from anywhere in the world needs me, I will always be waiting in my office. You can all count on it."

With this last declaration, Nia took her leave to head back to her house with Dromarch following behind her. Tora also held up Poppi's Drill Shield on his way out for anyone who might have any ideas regarding a sneak attack. Carefully stepping through her door, Nia managed to get herself up the stairs before collapsing on her bed from the toll it took on her to push her powers to her limits. A catnap was just what she now needed to reflect on the life altering decisions she had made on this day. Thomas had made a lot of good points about how what she was doing could impact the future, but it was a risk she was ready to take to ensure she wouldn't have anything more to regret her past. An hour passed for her to recover her strength, and she rose from her bed with a stretch and a yawn. Just then, in all too perfect timing, another guest how come to knock on her front door again.

"I swear I'll bop somebody if it's another no show," she grumbled to herself but was pleasantly surprised to actually find an adult Ardanian woman with short, brown hair and eyes waiting for her.

"H-Hi," the lady stammered, "M-My name is Terry. You're Nia, right? The healing blade from earlier at the farm with Lord Norman's family?"

"Yes, I am," Nia answered flatly.

"I-I'm sorry," she suddenly apologized, "I've been knocking on your door the last few days, but I kept getting nervous and leaving before you could answer. You probably want to bop me by now..."

"O-Oh no," Nia lied, "I was just wondering about why someone would do that."

"I've been wanting to try asking for your help with something, but rumors I heard about... the type of blade you are had me chickening out though."

"And now?"

"I saw how you saved that girl who had been mauled so badly that she should have died and then what you said about it after. It made me realize that I needed to try coming to you no matter what the danger is."

"What's the issue bothering you?"

"Not me, it's my brother," Terry clarified, "I live here in Torigoth, but my brother lives back in Mor Ardain. He got some sort of nasty illness from the toxic chemicals you're exposed to working in those plants. The doctors and healers over there have all written him off with six months to live. I thought maybe a healer here might have a second opinion to offer, but my friends kept telling me that it wasn't worth the risks. Then I saw you make a miracle with that girl and made up my mind. I apologize for my rudeness before, but I'm pleading with you now. May I please bring my brother to you?"

"I'll gladly see what I can do for him," Nia took Terry's hands into hers to accept the task without the slightest hesitation.

Terry promptly went off to make contact with her ailing brother to give him the good news, but, before Nia could celebrate getting her first major job, she could spot some more people heading towards her from around the corner for jobs two, three, and four. There might still be people out there who distrusted and resented her, but she approached her visitors triumphantly knowing that there was one thing that couldn't be denied. Her medical clinic, a place where her healing hands would be held out for anyone who needed them, was, now and forever, open for business, and she would delight in every minute of it.

_-a week later-_

"And now let's make sure that you stay nice and healthy!" Nia formed a pool of water in her palms to apply to her current patient.

In this case it turned out to be the flowers Sally had gotten her the week before that were in need of some watering. It was something that she had to really make sure she remembered to do in her free time with how scarce it was now getting. At this point, she could barely go any time at all during the day without somebody calling for her aid. So much so that she was compelled to invest a sign that said "The Doctor is Out!" that was now hanging from her doorknob for whenever she needed an hour to herself, but there was also a satisfaction she found in putting the same time and effort into public service now as Zeke and Morag. She gazed over at the wall where her old yellow jumpsuit hung on a hook. It was still her preferred attire for casual wear, but she found herself wearing it less and less often as people came more and more seeking the miracle healer. Just as well in her mind, the days of concealing her true nature were well over. It was time for her blade self to take the stage as her face to the outside world even if her friends still saw her in the same light as they ever did, even as her door started knocking yet again.

"Dromarch, go get the door! I'm still busy cleaning the room up," Nia called to her blade at the sound of her door being tapped on yet again

"Certainly, my lady!" he scurried down the stairs.

Getting someone at the door at six in the evening would ordinarily be enough to get a groan out of her, but on this night, she already knew who it was and eagerly anticipated their arrival.

"Hey Dromarch!" the familiar voice of the energetic salvager entered the house.

"Rex, Pyra, Mythra!" Dromarch greeted the all too familiar trio.

"I brought your favorite dried sunfish!" Pyra popped in.

"And I've got some Sneak-Thief King," Mythra announced, "Nia knows she owes me a rematch."

"Only if you have a fetish for losing!" Nia taunted from the top of the stairs.

Making her way down, she greeted each of her guests with hugs so strong that all of them were caught off guard.

"Well, I can see that someone's feeling good today," Pyra smiled.

"Maybe the best I've ever felt in my life!" Nia gushed, "Friends, a place, a purpose, for so many years I had none of these things, and now I've found all of them, and with you guys around, I know that I'll never have to lose them again! Thank you for coming all this way!"

"And that itself is worth celebrating," Pyra pulled out a pot, "The best thing about being a fire element is never having to bring over cold food."

"Smells wonderful, Pyra," Nia led them into the kitchen, "I've got the table all set for whatever you need to do."

Just before they could get themselves seated though, yet another visitor came tapping on the door."

"That's odd," Nia cocked an eyebrow, "I don't think I invited Tora over today."

Answering the door had Sally immediately darting in to hug Nia around the waist.

"I'm finally all better, Miss Nia!" she ecstatically announced, "You saved my life, you really did! Thank you so much."

Pyra particularly enjoyed watching this reunion between doctor and patient while Norman also came in but waited more patiently for his opportunity to show his thanks.

"I can't be thankful enough for the fact that my children got to know you. I don't think I would have been willing to trust you otherwise, and my daughter would be gone," he admitted, "The first thing she wanted when she could get out of bed again was to come see you. How could I say no?"

"It's no big deal," she answered modestly, "I'm not looking for everyone's approval anymore. I'm acting on what my heart tells me is the right thing to do. I'll leave others alone to judge what I've done."

"Still, I see a lot of good that you can be doing," he presented her an envelope that contained what she could tell even without opening it was an absurd amount of money, "I've got a lot of friends in high places across the titans. Word about you is already getting out. I see you've got quite the humble operation here, but if you're ever in need of more resources, you need only say the word."

"That's incredible," Nia actually counted out her new finances, "I'll make sure you won't regret this."'

"I'm already sure of that." he nodded as Trevor sneaked around his father's legs to get himself inside as well.

"I'm sure you can see how much better my sister is doing," he pointed out Sally's continued clinging to Nia, "Thank you so much for coming when I asked."

"Anytime, kid," Nia smiled before another idea came to mind, "Oh yeah, Trevor. I've got someone here you said you wanted to meet?"

"I did? who?"

"Did you forget already? You asked about him the first time we met?"

"Sorry, not ringing a bell."

"Oh, come on, I wouldn't be much of a blade without him," Nia turned back to shoot a smirk back at Rex.

He didn't seem to notice her sly gesture, but she knew he would more than agree with the sentiment. She was certainly thrilled to finally have the chance to say it out loud.

"See that guy in the blue salvager's suit?" Nia asked as Rex finally showed a reaction to hearing his outfit described.

"Yeah?"

"His name is Rex," she beamed wholeheartedly, "He's my driver."

Rex gladly stepped forward to offer the Gormotti boy a handshake while Nia went into the kitchen alongside Pyra and Mythra. No matter what may happen from here on out, she would forever take solace in the promise that there were people in this world she could always depend on to be there for her unconditionally, and just as she had become a hybrid of blade and human, she had forged unbreakable bonds with both human and blade alike. Even if she would never be able to properly thank her sister for the gifts she had left behind for her, she would never allow herself to regret having them again.

-THE END-

A/N: Well, that's the end of this story. It may have wound up shorter than some of you expected, but I wanted to keep the story simple. I hope I didn't make Nia too weepy and this but this was meant to be a real soul searching experience for her. I was also worried about pissing off a lot of people with how I chose to resolve the tension between Rex and Nia (assuming you don't take the NG+ title screen as canon), but I felt that solving Nia's problems just by having her get with Rex would be a disservice to the character. My main regret with this fic was how restrained I had to be with the humor since this was meant to be a serious piece. Yes, I made a few jokes, but it killed me to not be able to take advantage of the fact that the game is basically set in the real world for some fourth wall breaking stuff since it would have obliterated the tone. Then again, I might do another Xeno 2 story in the future, but, for now, thanks for reading.


	5. Bonus: Bonds of Old and New

A/N: More than an epilogue but not quite a sequel, here's a bonus chapter for A Purpose for the Gift of Life. The main story was notably short because I wanted to condense it to only the most necessary and effective ideas, but the unused concepts and scenes stirred around my mind ever since, and I thought it was about time to give them their time in the sun. I hope you like it, but if you don't, there's a reason I didn't use some of these ideas to begin with. Please enjoy.

* * *

One wouldn't have guessed just how tumultuous the past few months had been on Gormott just by looking at its landscape. She fields were as green as ever with a night sky just as immaculate. However, the community living upon this grand old titan had indeed undergone several seismic shifts, and, within a home in the town of Torigoth, a white tiger stood at the door to the room of a girl who had been near the center of it all. He didn't want to disturb her but knew it was a necessity on this particular morning. As such, he entered the room and began the process of waking her up as softly as possible

"My Lady," a whisper accompanied the first signs of the sunrise.

"Mmmm?" the girl in bed let out a light growl as his eyes slipped open underneath her bed sheets, "Dromarch?"

"You have to get up now," the blade spoke more deeply as her consciousness became clearer, "They'll be here soon."

"Huh, oh yes, of course, that's today, isn't it?" she rose in response his nudging.

Eyes groggy and hair ruffled, the flesh eater turned doctor, Nia, made her way to the bathroom while Dromarch kept watch at the door. She had taken all sorts of clients in the last three months of medical work, but she now had a special one booked to show up at the crack of dawn with a very different sort of job

* * *

-a few days earlier-

"Babysitting?" Nia responded to the request for which she had been called before the Gormotti lord, Norman

"I mean, I guess it is if that's what you want to call it." Norman concurred, "I tend to describe it as guard duty to make it more appealing to blades and drivers."

The lord whose family she had developed something of a close friendship with in the three months since she planted her roots back in Torigoth had come to her looking for favors before but none quite like this.

"No offense, but Trevor strikes me as being capable of looking after himself and Sally for a day."

"He almost certainly is, but because of my position, I'm fearful of leaving them without someone around who can't ward of a potential threat to their safety," he explained, "I'm sure you understand."

"Yes, I do."

"Ordinarily, I would ask Thomas to do this, but he's away with his own family at the moment. I have others I could contact for this, but you're the only one that's already here on Gormott and Sally thinks the world of you. Would you be interested in having her and Trevor in your care for a day?"

"Sure, I don't see the harm," Nia accepted with a smile.

* * *

There actually was a bit of harm, but it simply involved Nia having to roll herself out of bed earlier than she would have liked. At the start she tried to be someone who opened up for business at the crack of dawn, but it was soon established that she really wasn't a morning person and pushed back her hours to where she would open at nine in the morning. Norman's busy schedule, however, meant that he needed to be where he needed to be at eight, so he'd be dropping the kids off at her home at seven which had her forcing herself out of bed a little after six to get herself cleaned and groomed properly. She focused intently on the mirror as she straightened out on remaining signs of her daily bedhead and brushed her teeth to remove any hints of the morning on her breath. The clock hit seven just as she finished throwing on her yellow jumpsuit to make herself presentable and a knock came at the door with admirable punctuality.

"They're here, My Lady," Dromarch informed her as she scurried down the stairs.

"I'm aware," she exhaled and put on a smile as she opened the door.

"Miss Nia!" Sally was immediate in her greeting.

"Sally," Nia patted her head as her brother and father followed close behind.

"Good morning," Norman offered her a handshake.

"Mornin'" she accepted and offered Trevor one as well.

"Everything seems to be in order here," the lord cut to the chase, " I should be back around sunset, and you don't seem to the type who's going to do anything stupid."

"I'm not," she reassured him.

"Then I wish you all the best today," he offered his kids one final goodbye hug, "Take care."

"You too," Nia waved him off on his way and took the kids into her home.

Deflating somewhat with the imposing figurehead gone, she plopped down onto her sofa with the Gormotti children pulling up the nearest chairs to her.

"So, how are you doing, Miss Nia?" Sally moved to break the ice.

"Fine but a bit sleepy," Nia replied with a yawn, "Speaking of which, you can go to sleep yourself, Dromarch. Thanks for making sure I got up on time, but I've got it now."

"Sorry that my dad is having you do this," Trevor apologized while Dromarch curled up next to the sofa, "He's always so protective, he's been even more than usual since you saved Sally at the farm."

"It's fine. I thought it might turn out to be interesting. I apologize in advance if I don't turn out to be the most entertaining host though. I'm not used to having this sort of company."

"Is that why you gave yourself a makeover?" Sally remarked.

"Huh?" Nia blinked.

"You redid your hair and clothes," Sally noted. "I never would have guessed you actually liked short hair."

"What? I always look like this," Nia tried to explain to the kids who seemed to be drawing a blank until the reason dawned on her, "Oh right, you've never seen me in this form."

"Form?" they asked in unison.

"Well, the way I was when I met you two was my special... powered up mode that I take on for work," she searched for the best phrase to use, "This is how I normally look when I'm taking it easy."

"Oh," Sally answered in an abnormally non-nonchalant fashion for her plucky nature.

"Something up?" Nia noticed.

"Nothing." the girl's eyes showed there was certainly something on her mind.

"Come on. You can tell me," Nia persisted.

"I'm just surprised you would choose to change from how nice the other form looks, but it's none of my business to tell another girl how she should look."

"You like the other form more?"

"Well, that's just the Nia I first got to know, but I can get used to this Nia too."

"Honestly, it's the opposite for most of my other friends. This was the Nia they first met, but they only got to know the other one when I learned to trust them."

"Don't you trust us?"

"Of course, I do!" Nia made a sudden shift into her blade mode before anything else she did could be taken the wrong way.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pressure you to change. I was just a bit curious."

"Does it have something to do with the way Uncle Thomas didn't seem to like you?" Trevor astutely interjected.

"You remember that?" Nia was impressed with his keen memory and observation.

"What?" Sally was befuddled.

"It was during the time you were unconscious after the Armu accident. I brought Nia to heal you, and he was not happy with the idea. There was almost a fight before Dad told him to let her do it."

"Really? But he's always so nice."

"I asked him about all that stuff he said about you being a cannibal, and he said he'd tell me when I was older."

"I already told Sally, but he probably has the right idea," Nia motioned Dromarch away when he lifted his napping head as if he were ready to interrupt.

"That's really what you meant?" Sally recalled the conversation with distress, "I know you said people were afraid of you, but I never imagined even Uncle Thomas would want to hurt you."

"Please, don't get the wrong impression," the blade hurried to keep any more negative thoughts from creeping into the girl's mind, "He was worried about you too in his own way. We disagreed on how to do it, but he only wanted the best for you, Sally."

"I said they almost had a fight, but they didn't actually," Trevor also tried to assuage her worries, "Nia was really cool in how she stood up for you."

"Well, if that happened because of me then I need to make up for it!" Sally stood with determination, "I'm going to make all of us breakfast!"

"I asked your father about your favorite kind of cereal so they should be that, some bowls, spoons, and milk in the kitchen. There should be some fruit and bread as well," Nia directed her.

"Excellent," the Gormotti girl pumped her fists, "You can also go back to the other Nia if you want."

"Nah, I don't think that's necessary at the moment," Nia declined, "You told me you liked how I look this way, and that's enough for me."

"Okay!" Sally scampered off into the kitchen as Trevor waited for her to be too preoccupied to eavesdrop.

"Uncle Thomas couldn't possibly have been serious though, right?" he asked cautiously, "You didn't actually devour another person."

"What makes you say that?" Nia gave an inquisitive look.

"Well, I mean you've always looked and acted so... pleasant."

"Do you always judge others by appearances?" she rebutted.

"No... but I mean... it's just..." he fumbled with his words before Nia came over to him with a playful pat on the back.

"To be honest, it's kind of a depressing story that I don't want to get into when we should be having fun. You can ask Sally to tell you more later if you still want to know, but I will tell you now that, in this blade body of mine, there beats a proud Gormotti heart just like yours." Nia held one of his hands to her chest and the other to his own so he could feel their combined pulses to his astonishment, "Does that frighten you?"

"No, why would it?" the boy still couldn't suppress a visible degree of shock.

"It's okay. It frightened me the first time I felt it," she admitted.

"Really?"

"Yes, it gave me a constant reminder to me of a certain person I couldn't save, but my driver made me realize that my life and hers would always have a purpose as long as this heart was still beating, and I now want it to be to sparing as many people as possible the same pain we went through."

"All right," he felt the hidden weight behind her words, "I'm sorry I asked."

"Don't be," she let go of him, "It was you two in part who helped me figure it out."

"I definitely still want to have a blade as cool as you and Dromarch someday."

"I'm sure that you will, Trevor."

"Breakfast is ready!" Sally called from the kitchen

"Shall we?" Nia offered

"Yeah, thank you." Trevor followed her lead to the table.

Sally had not only prepared all the necessary items for the meal but arranged them in about as neat a manner one possibly could for such a simple dish. Nia had initially felt guilty about planning to offer the kids a much simpler breakfast than they were probably used to in their upper-class lifestyle, but it turned out to be the perfect thing to reset the mood from all the seriousness that had just preceded it. In a way, the kids seemed to appreciate the humble nature of the gathering. Wanting to keep in step with offering the kids a more pleasant window into her life, Nia offered them a tour of her home which included a primer on her own personal hobbies outside of her medical work.

"And this is my bedroom." she led them to the top of the staircase.

"Wow, the view is from here is so nice," Sally immediately noted the excellent view of the town square that she got from the second story window.

"Yes, for all his shortcomings, that Tora really knows how to put together a scenic place to live," Nia remembered the Nopon's own home as well.

"I can't believe the flowers I gave you are still here and doing so well," Sally looked at the vase she had bought on the windowsill.

"After all you've seen me do, you think some plants are too much for me to take care of," Nia grinned, "Water is my element even without my special powers."

"Hey, I recognize these guys," Trevor spotted a framed photo on the wall of Nia's old group.

"Yes, you already met Tora and Poppi as well as Rex, Pyra, and Mythra," she recalled

"Not just them, but isn't that Special Inquisitor Morag? She's the most famous driver around!" he suddenly looked to be starstruck as he went over the picture.

"Yes, we're really good friends even if it got off to a bit of a rocky start."

"Ah, no way!" the boy was now really floored, "Is that Thunderbolt Zeke of Tantal?!"

"Huh, oh yeah, it is," Nia responded plainly.

"I've only seen one or two pictures of him before but anyone who dreams of becoming a great driver has heard the legends of the Eye of Shining Justice!"

"That silly thing?" Nia rolled her eyes before realizing how tightly he was now clinging to her every word, "Hmm, oh yeah, it really is something else unlike anything you ever imagined..."

"Can you introduce me, please?!"

"Oh, I'm sure he'd love to meet you," Nia secretly began plotting what she'd do if he even tried to refuse the offer.

"Awesome! You're the best!" he went back to examining the photograph, "Mind if I ask about something else here though?"

"Go ahead."

"From what I can tell here, the blades and drivers are all next to each other, but why is Dromarch over here with you? You're Rex's blade, right?"

"I am."

"Then you and Dromarch should be closer to him."

"Well, Dromarch is actually my blade."

"Huh?"

"Remember, I'm different from other blades," she recounted, "Since I'm part human I can both act as a blade and resonate with other blades as their driver."

"So, you're both a blade and a driver?"

"Basically, I'm actually skilled enough to hold my own with these guys. I'm always ready to offer Rex a heal but it's nice to take charge every once in a while too."

"Then you've been in fights too?"

"Like you wouldn't believe. I've got some good stories too."

"How about some tips. I'm not ready to resonate yet, but I'm trying to learn all I can for when I do."

"Hmmm," Nia pondered with a hand to her chin, "Well, the most important thing is to pace yourself. You're not only going to need to learn from your blade, but your blade is going to learn a lot from you. Don't feel like you need to force the power from them or force yourself to have total master of your arts from the start. Your bond with your blade is going to be a lifelong one. If you act like you don't think that life is going to be a very long one that it likely won't be."

"Alright, I think I get it," he nodded as Nia mulled over another idea that was creeping into her mind.

"Awww, this collection of carvings is just the absolute cutest," Sally's voice interrupted them.

"Yeah, it's become something of a hobby of mine," Nia took the Ardanian bear that Sally was particularly focused on into her hand, "I'm pretty well recognized at the Cmalaf Artwork shop because of it to be honest."

"I had no idea. Now I've got to buy you one myself!" she decided, "Can we go out shopping today?"

"I don't see why not." Nia glanced at the clock striking eight, "They should be open by now and I could use some fresh air.

Quietly making their way down the stairs as not to disturb the mammal sleeping below, the three made their way outside to take a faceful of the morning sun. The mix of the beaming heat and crisp breeze brushing against her skin was a sensation that Nia was still not entirely used to after spending so long covering herself up in public, but it was one that she absolutely found to be comforting. Especially since she had grown her reputation to the point where she could go out freely in either form of herself without any major problems. While her mind began to wander though, the kids accompanying her remained more focused on the task at hand with Sally leading the way over to the art store that she was quite familiar with as well as a supplier of her father's home furnishings. As such, Peline the shopkeeper was able to recognize all three of them as they strolled up to her spot in the marketplace.

"Well, what's this?" the brunette rose from her usual chair, "I see most of the people responsible for keeping me in business all in one place here."

"Hey, Peline," Nia showed herself to be on a first name basis with her, "Yeah, I've found myself to have a common interest with this girl."

"Well, I've got more than a handful of new carvings in stock that I've been waiting for you to come check out," she presented her wares.

"Thanks, as always," Nia turned to Sally, "Why don't you pick one out for me?"

"Great!" Sally started rummaging through the selection with surprising discernment for the various crafts.

Nia waited patiently on Sally as Trevor turned his attention to the nearby vendors, but the shopkeeper seemed interested in a few more words.

"I must say that you're looking very nice today, Nia," Peline observed.

"Huh?" Nia realized that it was still rare for her to be using her blade form in a non-business setting. "Oh yeah, Thank you,"

"I wasn't sure if I was hearing the name of a certain blade in the local gossip correctly, but I guess this means you really are the one that people have been buzzing about for a few months now?"

"Yes, I am," Nia stood firm.

"I heard a bit that was bad at first, but since then I've heard a whole lot more that's been good."

"I've been trying my best," the blade rubbed the back of her heard.

"And I'd expect no less of my favorite customer," Peline place a hand on her shoulder, "Keep up the good work."

"How about this one, Miss Nia?" Sally settled on a carving of an owl.

"Yeah, I don't think I have one like that," she smiled at the Gormotti girl, "We'll take it."

"That'll be a thousand gold," the shopkeeper announced the price.

Sally attempted to fish out some of her personal allowance before being halted by Nia.

"Don't even think about it," she pulled out her own wallet, "Your dad has seen to it that I'm well compensated even for this. I could never ask you to spend your own money on me."

"But then it's not a gift."

"You've given me enough gifts as it is, trust me," Nia finished the transaction with a friendly farewell to Peline.

Getting Trevor's attention back from the nearby salvaging shop he had taken an interest in, Nia paused to consider whether she wanted to head right home or if it would be best to take the kids around to all of the local shops in case they wanted to buy anything for themselves. She also figured it would be nice to bring Dromarch back some sort of treat after leaving him home alone. As such, she took a detour to the nearby Tomi Fishmongers to pick up a bag of Gormotti Fish Flakes for her companion. Once she made it through the line and bought them though, a tugging on her sleeve prevented her from going any further.

"What is it?" Nia looked to see Sally pointing over to the Café Savvy that was within view from where they stood, "You want something to drink from there?"

"No, there's a guy over at the table who looks like he knows you," Sally emphasized her finger towards a patron waving at her from the table.

"Hey, is that you, Nia?" Nia's acute hearing picked up on the voice once she focused on it a little more, and she even seemed to recognize his face after a bit of wincing.

"So, you know him too?" Sally asked.

"Yes, I'm pretty sure I do," Nia confirmed to herself.

"Then you should go talk to him," the girl suggested.

"Do you mind?"

"Of course not," the kids both agreed.

With their approval, Nia walked with them over to the café where there was one table in particular that was being solely occupied by an Ardanian male who looked to be in his early twenties with medium length brown hair. With a Victory Smoothie in his hand, he was dressed gaudily in a green overcoat and black pants that looked to be way too bulky for the currently mild climate.

"Aren't you hot, mister?" Sally asked the man rather bluntly.

"Looking good is worth a little bit of discomfort," he kindly responded to the girl, "Are these two friends of yours, Nia?"

"Yeah, they are, She's Sally, and he's Trevor." Nia answered him, "Are you sure you're okay to be out here like this?"

"What is it with people that can't take a little heat?" he threw up his hands, "I bet it's because so many of the people here have all that fur."

"No, I mean the fact that you're out here all by yourself," she corrected him, "You know, in your condition."

"Oh, that." he sighed, "Well, it's only because of you that I'm out here at all."

"What does he mean, Miss Nia?" Sally wondered.

Without needing to say a word, Nia motioned her attention to the stylish if not overly extravagant cane at his side with a handle carved to look like the head of a dragon. As suave as he tried to look sitting down, he trembled somewhat as he grabbed the cane and lifted himself to his feet for a proper greeting.

"The name is Maxwell, but I mainly go by Max," he introduced himself, "Former soldier of the Ardanian army. My relationship with Nia here has been mainly a patient-doctor one, but I'd like to think that we've become something resembling friends after these few months of regular treatment."

"I tolerate your presence in my office," Nia quipped back.

"Oh my, that's terrible!" Sally gasped at his disability, "Don't you know that Nia's a super healing blade? She can fix you right up."

"She did fix me up," Max smirked down to Sally and then up to the healer, "I was in a wheelchair when she found me a little over two months ago."

"A wheelchair?!" The kids both exclaimed.

"My lower spine was a casualty of war," he revealed, "All the healers in the empire said I'd never get any use out of my legs again, but then I received a referral to this one here from Special Inquisitor Morag herself."

"When she disclosed to me the details of what happened to you, there was no way for me not to do everything I could for you," Nia's expression took on a sudden resolve.

"But I never would've guessed you'd do it to free after all the money I had to dump into just being able to get by."

"No, I owed every bit of it to you," she spoke sternly.

"But he's still walking with a cane," Trevor noted.

"The body needs time to readjust after being bedridden for so long. Remember what I told you about patience?" Nia reminded him but then turned to Max in a more scolding tone, "And speaking of patience, I can't say I approve of you trying to get around town all on your own even with a cane."

"After all I've been through I can handle this," Max tried to lift himself completely upright only to have the cane slip out from his grip. He glanced nervously at his audience until Nia bent over to pick it up.

"Now, please get yourself back home or at least get a friend to accompany you on these daytrips into town until I say otherwise," Nia handed him back the cane.

"Fine, I'll be in for more physical therapy tomorrow," he grudgingly accepted her instructions.

"Tomorrow?" Sally blinked, "But she's here now."

"She told me that the office was closed today," Max revealed to Sally's surprise.

"I didn't want you two sitting around doing nothing while I was working," Nia promptly explained to her.

"What if you're needed?"

"Unless it's a sudden emergency, I don't have any patients who can't afford to wait a day."

"But I don't want anyone hurting for a day because of me," Sally pouted, "We should take him back with us to your clinic."

"These sessions take a bit more time than my regular healing work. Are you sure you're okay with that?"

"I'll even help if I'm able!" Sally declared and Trevor also seemed to feel the same way.

"If you insist," Nia offered her shoulder for him to grab onto, "Let's get you out of here then."

Nia moved at a leisurely pace with the kids as she assisted Max in limping to her office. If necessary she could've fetched Dromarch to carry him, but she could tell that even this much help was a blow to his pride. As such, she let him do as much of the work as possible until he collapsed on the sofa the moment they got back to her home.

"Welcome home, my lady, Sally, Trevor, and even Maxwell, my goodness. It seems you're obeying the doctor's orders as well as ever," they were greeted by the now fully awake Dromarch.

"You know it," Nia gave him the bag of Gormotti fish flakes that she had just purchased.

"Shut up," Max grumbled as Sally awaited Nia's word on what to do next.

"Would you mind just taking his coat?" the flesh eater slipped the green garment off of his body, "And then fill the bathroom tub with water. I need to get him into it for some light regeneration treatment."

Sally gleefully followed the instructions given to her as Nia assisted him into the bathroom. On the other hand, Trevor seemed to take an interest in making some light conversation with Dromarch as Nia shooed Sally from the room as he now needed to get undressed.

"Please don't touch me right now," Max gently pushed away her hand, refusing to take help with something as basic as undressing himself.

"As you wish," Nia gave him some space as he disrobed and pulled himself into the tub that was intentionally designed to be larger than average so anyone could easily fit into it.

With the preparations complete, Nia placed her hands into the water where the emitted a faint glow that soon spread through the entire body of water. His earlier agitation gradually faded as he sunk into its soothing touch.

"Are you still going to pretend that you didn't need this?" she gently teased him.

"I guess not," he let out a deeply held sigh, "I guess I'm still a bit mad at myself over ending up like this. After all the crazy things I've seen blades do, I never thought it would be the mere strike of a sword that would do me in with all of work I've done on my own swordplay. Sorry if you ever feel like I'm taking it out on you. I don't know why you've put up with me for this long. Does Lady Morag's word really mean that much to you?"

"Yes, but that's still not the reason I'm doing this." Nia shook her head.

"You keep saying you owe it to me, but I don't get why. I'd never even seen you before you healed me," a twinge of familiarity came over him, "At least I'm pretty sure that I hadn't..."

"Whether you have or not doesn't really matter to me," she rebuffed him, "It's still an issue that's deeply personal to me as a blade."

"Lady Morag told me the truth about it, about how that blade was a flesh eater and how you're one too which is why you could repair my nerves in a way the other blades couldn't."

"Yes, but I can only heal the damage that was done. It's a much longer process for me to get your muscles back to functioning as they did before you spent months in that wheelchair. That requires a more gradual, controlled repair process. I know it's frustrating and I'm sorry about what that flesh-eater did to you as one myself."

"But I'm not petty enough to act as though that means I'm entitled to anything from you. What is it that bothers you so much about what the blade, Jin, from Torna did to me?"

From the details Morag had given Nia on Max's injury, Nia was able to piece together exactly when and where he had suffered his wound. She wasn't surprised that he vaguely recognized her because she was nearby when it occurred. Of course, she was still concealing her full blade form at the time, so it was unlikely that Max would make the connection to her current appearance on his own. Even so, she made the connection on her end, and that's all that mattered.

"Jin was a blade I knew personally," Nia opened up on the issue for the first time as Morag herself had concealed her brief ties to Torna. As much as she appreciated the act from the Special Inquisitor, she was still determined to see that part of her past properly resolved one day and jumped at the opportunity when Morag first referred Max to her.

"Then why are you helping me? I was told he was an advocate for mistreated blades. Shouldn't you be on his side?"

"There was a time when I might have been, but I found a different answer than he did through my own pain," she spoke somberly, "Besides, you've never mistreated a blade before now, have you?"

"Well, obviously, since I've never had one," he repeated a fact that she already knew, "Perhaps if I did I wouldn't have ended up like this."

"Not due to lack of ability to be sure. Morag spoke of your strength and skill to me in only the highest of terms. She believed you would be able to get up to her level if I got you back on your feet properly and resumed your training like before. Why not become a driver as well, Max?"

"Come on, you've seen how poorly I take care of myself as it is. The last thing I need is the thought of a blade whose existence depends on me staying alive. I enjoy the thrill of the action too much. If and when I finally get myself, killed I don't need anyone else going down with me."

"Interesting," this philosophy was both new and familiar to the flesh eater, "I've heard similar stuff from other blades before, but nothing quite like it from a human. From experience, that tells me that you'd make a better driver than you think."

"Is that so?"

"Bad drivers only see blades as immortal servants. The great ones I've seen were those who realized that life and death mean just as much to us as it does to you. You should put some more consideration into it."

"Maybe, but I still wish there were some sort of blade out there that wouldn't die just because I did. I'd team up with it in a heartbeat."

"Really?" Nia stored away a mental note of his remark, "It sounds vaguely familiar, but I might've heard of a blade like that. I'll have to get back to you on it."

"Thanks, Nia, for everything," he let off the last of his stress and let her fully focus on her work.

Following approximately an hour of this steadily applied treatment, Nia gave Max the okay to get himself out of the tub but was much more willing to accept her assistance while doing so. Leaving the bathroom led them into an empty house where they could hear the voices of the other guests coming from outside. Just down the street and in a nearby field, they came upon Dromarch playing with the Gormotti siblings. Sally was taking rides on Dromarch's back while he would occasionally show Trevor his skill in chasing down and catching his twin ring blade weapons when thrown.

"Miss Nia!" Sally showed some remorse, "I'm sorry I left you, but Trevor started playing with Dromarch."

"It's quite alright," Nia consoled her, "I was having some similar ideas myself. You two are still my guests, after all."

"Hey, give one of those things over to me," Max waved at the tiger to come over to him.

Max took the rings from Dromarch's teeth and, with Nia to help keep him balanced, gave them each a fling far beyond what the young Trevor could manage. Even Nia would have needed to put some extra effort into it to throw them that well. Morag had told Nia that Max was a natural with weapons unlike any other in the army and for the first time she truly believed it. However, it also proved to be an opportunity for Dromarch to show off the strength in his legs to still chase them down and leap into the air to get them.

"Damn, what a throw," Nia let out a whistle.

"Hey, it's just my legs that don't work right," the former soldier puffed out his chest as Dromarch returned to them.

"And it's been too long since I've seen you in action like that," Nia rewarded her blade with a scratch behind the ears and under his chin.

"Don't you think that's kind of demeaning?" Max wondered.

"What do you mean, Max? I'm always happy to accept My Lady's compliments."

"Yeah but, I mean, you're a blade, not a pet. I thought blades would be touchier about that kind of stuff."

"So? I'm a blade too," Nia pointed out.

"Then that means it's okay if I do this, right?" Max slyly reached around to grab Nia's ears with his fingers for a rubdown.

Max knew as well as Nia did that it was seen as rude on Gormott for a non-Gormotti to touch the ears of a Gormotti, but they were also both aware that Nia wasn't exactly Gormotti. In fact, in full blade form her ears were more receptive that the average Gormotti in all sorts of ways and that included how they responded to being touched in a way that only Zeke had previously discovered but never had the courage to attempt again. Scratching them in the back, and rubbing them at the tips, Max was much more adept and caring in his touch than Zeke was in his efforts to taunt her. so much so that her face was soon flushed red and her attempts to tell him to stop became stuttered. The children watched, unsure of how to respond to this loophole Max had taken through traditional Gormotti etiquette, but the situation became too much when they heard Nia release an audible purr in his grip.

"Um, Mr. Maxwell," Sally spoke up, "I'm not sure you should be doing that to Miss Nia."

"I just want to establish that turnabout is fair play, and, besides, she likes it." he snickered and looked at her where most of her face told him to keep going but her eyes glared at him with a dire warning to stop which to he obliged her.

"You..." Nia scrambled to recompose herself, "You really are looking to get yourself killed..."

"Hey, it's not as though I'm hearing any kind of threat to never do it again," he leered.

"Mmmf..." Nia puffed her cheeks to try and get the red out of them completely, "I'm not going to say that I enjoyed it."

"As long as you don't feed me any lies about hating it either," Max countered to which she seemed to find a compromise, "I suppose I did forget to get under your chin too."

"Don't even try it," Nia quickly defended herself but could no longer help at least sharing a laugh with him the situation, "Do it again without my permission and I'll pay you back with a new cane."

"Your offer is duly noted, but I hope you won't mind if I stick around for a bit to relax," Max proposed, "As much as you insist on me not compensating you, I'm going to have to put my foot down on treating you all to lunch as repayment for all this."

"Fine, I suppose I've bossed you around enough for today," she accepted, "I had some board games planned as well for Sally and Trevor here as well, but you should now that I never lose at Sneak Thief King."

"Only if you're in the mood to try taking me on in a round of Money-Bye-Bye. You haven't lived until you've played that under Nopon rules."

"Sounds like a challenge to me."

After some more time in the field together, the group of five returned to Nia's home where they shared together in plates of Mince and Lentil Stir-Fry supplied by Max as promised. What also went just as promised was Nia's dominance in her game of choice, Sneak Thief King. She had been planning to take it easy on the kids, but, with Max around, she saw no need to pull any punches and had him out of the game before he could even remember all the rules. Of course, he vowed vengeance in the following round of Money-Bye-Bye, but neither guessed that Sally would be the one to put her on the brink of bankruptcy in that game.

"What? You can't take all of my assets for the rent at Goldmouth Inn," Nia objected, "I loaned you some money, so you could buy it in the first place."

"Because you didn't want me getting it," Max shot a look at her to which she crossed her arms and stuck out her tongue.

"Well, I mean, she did loan me the money," Sally readied to hand her the cash when Trevor intervened.

"Um, Sis, there's no rule in here saying that you have to honor a verbal agreement." he skimmed through the book that he had received from Max at the start of the round.

"What?" Nia took the booklet to verify his claim, "I thought this game had a specific clause about that."

"The sissy Gormotti rules you had do, but I told you at the start we're playing by Nopon rules," Max declared, "There are no restrictions on lying to the opponent and no agreements not on an official card are binding whatsoever. This game is about seeing what sort of lies your opponents will swallow and what you can pull on them before they get you back."

"This game doesn't seem very ethical..." Dromarch noted with concern.

"You don't know what you're talking about. This game is where boys are made into men."

"Look, just take the money, Miss Nia," Sally paid her regardless of the goading of Max and Trevor.

"Bah, party poopers," Max slunk back into his chair when a knock came at the door.

"Man, just look at the time," Nia was taken aback to see the clock having hit five in the afternoon already. Answering the door revealed Norman having returned for his children as schedule.

"Wow, look at this," the lord marveled at how the gathering had come together, "I hurried back because I thought it'd be a hassle for you, but I never envisioned you'd be doing this well with them."

"Please, sir, they're great to have around," Nia brushed off his praise as the kids in question readied their belongings to go back home.

"And did you have a good day too?" he hugged them both.

"You know I did, Daddy," Sally nuzzled with him.

"Yeah, Nia's a lot more fun to hang out with than I thought," Trevor commented thoughtlessly although the blade chose to graciously accept the backhanded compliment, but his words also reminded her of something else.

"Yes, Trevor really seems to be serious on becoming an expert driver," Nia commented, "In fact, including myself I know quite a few other high-level drivers as well. With your blessing, I'd like to help in teaching him when the time comes that he's ready for it."

Trevor's eyes lit up like crazy at Nia but dulled while focusing on his father pondering his answer.

"Well, I've always been uneasy about subjecting my own kids to the risks involved, but if you're sincere in offering your support, I think it will be worth giving a chance in the hopefully not-too-distant future." he gave a steady but decisive nod."

"Thank you. Thank you!" Trevor looked read to leap out of his skin, "I'll do my absolute very best."

"Well, until next time then at least," Norman finished his business with the blade, "Thank you everything as always."

"Not a problem, sir," Nia saw the family out the door, "Not a problem at all."

Once her carefully invited guests had gotten on their way, Nia turned back to look at the one self-invited guest that still remained.

"Alright, I get it, I get it," Max grabbed his own things without her saying a word, "It's about time I got out of your hair too."

The young man took his cane and began his hobble to the door. It wasn't ideal but Nia could tell that he was walking better than he was when she had found him hours earlier.

"Will you promise me that you'll stop pushing yourself beyond my recommendations?" She talked into his ear as he passed her by.

"No promises," he chuckled before noticing the much more serious look on her face than before, "Fine, I promise you that I'll try."

"Look, if you have to run errands in town that badly, then at least be willing to come ask me to lend you a hand," she made an offer that caught him off guard.

"You'd really do that for me?" Max looked at her with slight incredulity.

"I can send Dromarch with you if you're too proud to be seen getting helped around by a girl," she added.

"No, no, that's not necessary," he pushed back against her doting, "I'll come see you next time I'm out and about."

"How about this?" she still wasn't satisfied. "If you can get through your rehab without any major setbacks, I'll take you out to my favorite restaurant on Uraya."

"Urayan cuisine?" Max gawked, "That lord must be paying you well."

"And on top of that, I also just happened to remember something I did hear about a blade whose lifespan is not tied to that of its driver," Nia continued, "I'll tell you about it at that dinner when you're all better, and you can let me know if you're interested."

"Okay, sounds like a plan," the Ardanian found her choice of words and timing odd but paid it no further mind as he focused on at least getting back to his current home without needing her to carry him again, "Take care, Nia."

"You too," she bid him farewell, "You had better."

Spinning around after closing the door to have the house to herself again after a long day, she found Dromarch staring at her with a somewhat stunned look on his face.

"My Lady," he was as wide-eyed as she had ever seen him.

"What?"

"Did you just ask Maxwell out on what humans would consider to be a date?"

"Who knows?" she shrugged to herself over the current day's events, "I just went on a gut feeling. Let's wait and see about what happens."

"As you wish," he bowed out as she went up the stairs back to her room where a fresh owl carving was waiting to be properly admired. While looking at it, it truly began to dawn on her just how many new bonds she had managed to forge since beginning down this new path, both as driver and blade. Taking the object into her hand and looking out into a pristine view of the setting sun brought another person close to her heart into her mind.

"Well Rex, you're always talking about what can be accomplished through our bonds," she murmured to herself "Being what I am, I can bridge the gap between blade and human like nobody ever has before, and I think I'm ready to really put it to the test. It's what you would do too if you were me, right?"

Looking out the window once more, she sent her thoughts out to one last person very near and dear to her.

"This is what you'd want me to do too, right, Sis?"

With newfound conviction in her answers to these questions, Nia plopped onto her soft mattress for a more than well deserved rest. She had every intention of getting right back to work when the next morning came, but this would be a night for her to drift off wrapped in the sensations of pride, joy and love, both from the friends she had already made and the new ones she found herself connecting with. Above all she felt as free of the laws and labels that had bound her for so much of her life as she ever had before, and perhaps that's what she had been seeking more than anything all along.

* * *

A/N: I originally did intend for Trevor to a bit more involved in the story but he ultimately wound up feeling like filler, so those scenes I planned were perfect for a piece compiling all of the other filler I ultimately decided against. More importantly, if you couldn't already tell, Maxwell was an idea I juggled around on a potential boyfriend for Nia if she couldn't have Rex. However, he was ultimately scrapped in favor of Sally and Trevor as I wanted the story to have a more family-focused tone than a romantic one, especially if the romance would have to involve an OC. Still, I couldn't help putting the idea, or at least an abridged version of it, into writing at some point, and if it turns out that people like it, I might continue with it a bit further, but if you don't like it, please don't hold it against the story that preceded it. Thanks again for reading and any feedback you feel compelled to leave.


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